Worlds Apart, Separate Ways
by KibaElunal
Summary: Everyone in Ionia knows the tales of the dreaded mage who lives in the looming Floating Fortress that hovers day and night over the island. Her name has become synonymous with the boogie man and other things that go bump in the night. But what if she were to reach out to the people of Ionia in hopes of joining them? Or even more startling, what if someone down below reached back?
1. Chapter 1

Worlds Apart, Separate Ways – Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hey everyone, if you are returning readers from my other works, I'd like to welcome you back and thank you for your continued support. To new readers, I am honored that you have decided to investigate into this work yourselves. So very often are people mislabeled or pushed away from society due to being outside of the social norm, and while these people often go on to live happy lives, sometimes their faces are masks that hide their pain away from the world. I hope that as you read this story, you'll find it in yourselves to think of the people you know who are special, and realize the value of their friendship. -Kiba Roberts

* * *

It is not often that I glance upon my childhood with joy. But on occasion, my thoughts have been known to wander back to _that_ day. I can still feel the vague sensation of the wind blowing through my long hair that trailed behind me as I soared through the air. I had never felt such joy, such freedom before in my life, and yet there I was racing through the streets of my hometown in Ionia. It may have been because of my childish nature from being of the young age of eight years old, or perhaps it was simply the joy of being able to fly, but I couldn't remember a happier moment in my life than the day that I'd learned to manipulate my powers so.

I had to test my abilities, see just how fast I could move, how powerful my magic had become. With every second I moved faster and faster through the town, avoiding obstacles and weaving through crowds despite the angered shouting of the villagers. Unaware or uncaring of their insults I became so intoxicated by my freedom that I almost forgot the loneliness that seemed to engulf my life. I raced around the square, moving in graceful twirls and flips that made me feel as though I were one of the beautiful ballerinas at the show my parents used to take me to…before they found out I was different. Lost in the jubilee of my innocence I failed to see that I was headed directly for the large crystal sculpture that had been erected in the middle of town earlier that week to honor our Elder's birthday. As it began to topple, time seemed to slow down while my eyes followed it and no matter how fast I tried to fly to stop it the thing hit the ground, shattering into a million little pieces.

Almost immediately a crowd began to gather around me, angry eyes glaring at me from every direction. I suddenly felt small and meek as I gently landed on the ground. "I-I'm sorry…I didn't mean to. Honest." I offered to the crowd, begging for forgiveness. But despite my attempts to show my remorse cruel words were spit upon me.

"Freak!"

"Monster!"

"Demon!"

"Abomination!"

"Witch!"

"How dare you break the Elder's statue?!"

"You should never have been born!"

"Just die! No one wants you around here!"

I don't know when the first rotted piece of fruit was thrown from the crowd, but it didn't take long for the rest of the villagers to join in pelting me with their compost as I curled into a ball, crying out for my mother and father to come and save me. After hours of humiliation at the hands of the citizens they either began to grow tired of my abuse or simply ran out of things to throw at me, until one by one, they filtered back into their homes leaving only a sniveling weak and scared little girl covered with rubbish and smelling of compost.

By then night had fallen and the icy chill of its winds paled in comparison to the cold loneliness I felt in my heart. I wandered the streets for hours, having lost my way in the city, calling out for my mother and father to find me and bring me home. With every house I passed the people in the city would close their shutters and latch their windows. I even remember one house in particular where a girl not much younger than myself laid in bed as her mother smiled and read her a bed time story, the two of them giggling over their own little jokes. When the mother saw me however, she frowned, passing to the window and drawing her curtains closed so that she wouldn't have to gaze upon the freaky girl who was a menace that plagued their society. Continuing down the cold street my tears froze on my cheeks as I wrapped my arms around myself to keep warm.

That was when things went from bad to worse. Dark stormy clouds had formed overhead before a torrential rain began to pound down on top of me in waves that froze me to the bone, soaking my clothes and hair. The droplets stung my face as I continued trying to find my way home, my body shivering from the wintery blast. Just when I thought I would be lost forever, my eyes picked out the lantern that swayed softly in the window of my home, signaling warmth and shelter. I walked to the up the steps before anxiously banging on the door. "Mama! Papa!" I called out to them, until the angry face of my father appeared as he opened the door just a bit.

"Where have you been?!" He growled.

"I'm…I'm s-sorry P-p-papa." I said shivering on our doorstep. "I got lost…please…let me in…I'm cold…and hungry."

"Oh you want food? After what you did to shame our family?! Maybe you should sleep outside like the rest of the dogs where you belong. If you're hungry you should have gotten some food when it was being thrown at you in the square." He snapped before slamming the door shut in my face, causing me to sob softly. I began to knock on the door again, begging, pleading for my father to let me come in. After a few minutes of my cries for shelter the door opened this time my Papa's face full of rage. Reaching out he violently grabbed me by the arm and pulled me inside of the house.

"Papa?" I asked before his hand tightened painfully on my wrist. "Papa! Please stop…you're hurting me Papa." He said nothing, just let out a grunt of apathy as he dragged me through the house while I struggled to free my arm from his grip. As he turned the corner I realized where he was taking me and immediately I began struggling even harder. "Wait, no! Papa! Please don't…I'm so sorry Papa, I won't ever use my magic again…please!"

He turned around slapping me hard across the face before he tore open the small cupboard door and shoved me inside. "Now you listen hear witch!" He hissed, "I may be your Papa, but you are not my daughter! A freak like you could never hope to be my daughter!"

"Papa…" I whimpered as he slammed the small door shut trapping me inside of the darkness. The audible click of the lock followed by my father's heavy footsteps fading away signaled that I was now left alone in the small space where I was to reflect on my pitiful existence. I leaned against the wall, burying my head in my knees, grateful that at least I had managed to get out of the cold rain outside. I'm not entirely sure when I managed to finally cry myself to sleep that night, but soon my eyes had closed and I found myself dreaming of a world where I could fly however much I wanted and people wouldn't hate me for what I could do.

It wasn't long after that I was awoken from my dream by a gentle knocking on the door. "Syndra? Are you awake in there?" A soft and soothing voice called out to me and inching as close as I could I called out in the darkness.

"Mama?" I asked.

I heard the lock pull back as the door swung open to reveal the kind smile of my mother. "I heard your father say you were hungry." She whispered. "I brought you some soup." I eagerly accepted the warm bowl, sipping the broth and letting the hot liquid run down my throat.

"Mama…" I asked softly when I had finished, "does Papa hate me?"

My mother shook her head. "Oh sweety…of course he doesn't hate you…your Papa loves you very much…it's just that sometimes your powers can cause a lot of trouble for our village."

"Oh…" I whispered before sniffling. "Papa said that I wasn't his daughter. I thought he hated me…especially after what happened in the square." My mother frowned at the mention of the incident that had caused all the trouble in the first place. Just as she opened her mouth to speak my father roughly grabbed her by the hair pulling her to her feet as she winced.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he roared at her.

"She…she was hungry!" My Mama replied meekly before my father slapped her hard, causing her to collapse to her knees on the floor.

"So what?! You just decide to give the food I put on this table to the little freak whenever she asks for it?" He slapped my mother again causing her to cry out as I ran to him.

"Papa, please stop it!" I begged before he turned and shoved me hard into the wall before he went back to my mother and yanked her hair hard, pulling her head back.

"Say you're sorry! Say it you whore! Apologize for giving my food to that fucking monster of yours!" He screamed in her face as tears began to roll down my mother's cheeks.

"I'm sorry!" She cried. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have given her any food! I'm sorry!" My father slapped her again and again as she begged his forgiveness before I grabbed his arm trying to pull him away from her. Turning on me his hand went across my cheek with enough force to send me to the ground. As he raised his arm to slap me again I felt a dull throbbing pain in my forehead that caused a blast of magic to lift my father off the ground and fling him hard against the wall before sliding down the wall to the floor.

"Oh no…" my mother whimpered as she crawled to my father.

"Mama?" I asked softly. "It…it was an accident mama…I didn't…" When she put her fingers on the side of his neck I watched as she threw herself over him, weeping over my father's dead body. I tried to go to her to comfort her, hoping she'd forgive me when the glow of torches shined through the windows. "Mama…it's the villagers." I cried in fear. "Mama…what do we do?" When I turned back to look at her, her eyes stared in to mine and I could see them filled with hatred.

"Get out." She snarled.

"Mama…" I sniffled.

"I said 'GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU WITCH!" She shouted at the top of my lungs just as the door was kicked in by the townsfolk.

"Look!" One of them cried.

"She even killed her own father!"

"Beast!"

"Grab her!" I tried to run, but one of the villagers managed to grab me, and they bound me with ropes and gagged me to stop my cries for help and mercy. As they dragged me from my home I watched my mother glaring at me as she cradled Papa. The angry mob dragged me across the rough cobble stones, causing patches and scrapes to form on my skin as I shouted through the gag for help until we reached the town square. Where the crystal statue had once been there was now a stake where people were placing tender at its base. Easily lifting my frail body off the ground they tied me to the stake. Cries and shouts filled the air as the townspeople began to chant "Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!" over and over again. Someone lit a torch and began to hold it close to the pyre while I tried to wriggle free of the ropes.

"STOP!" Someone called out to the crowd. "Let me do it!" My eyes followed the voice to see my mother, who had always been kind to me, taking the torch from one of the villagers as they cheered in excitement. My mother was going to burn me alive...she was going to kill me. My heart had never felt so broken before as I watched her lowering the fiery wood towards the timber. That was when once more another voice boomed throughout the square.

"That is enough!" The voice commanded causing all of the villagers to freeze and fall silent. There were hushed whispers as the crowd parted to reveal the elder, hobbling closer to where I hung bound to the post. "You all should be ashamed of yourselves!" The elder shouted. "Wanting to burn a child of all things?! We have been taught better than this!" She snatched the torch from my mother dowsing it in a puddle left by the rain. Walking to me she untied my gag, pulling it from my mouth.

"But Elder!" One of them cried. "She's a monster! She wrecked your statue and even killed her own father! She's a menace!"

"Yeah!" The crowd roared in agreement before the elder silenced them with another wave of her hand.

"I will not have the blood of a child stain our town!" She exclaimed, "Right now, only two things are certain." She turned back to where I was tied to the pole. "She is not to be killed, but she most certainly cannot stay here." My breath caught in my lungs as the crowd cheered at the notion of banishing me.

"The elder is right! Let's run her out of town! Make her someone else's problem!" Once more I found myself being dragged; though this time I was being taken to the city gates. I didn't want to leave my home, but I knew that it was either this or death. When we finally reached the gates I was untied and shoved out of the city roughly. I turned back around to look at the Elder and my mother who stood at the front of the town.

"Mama?" I asked, my voice shaking in fear. "Are…are you not coming with me?" I asked. She glared at me with an expression that screamed hatred and loathing. She needn't have even spoke for me to get the answer to my question.

"Syndra!" The elder declared in her booming voice. "You have been found guilty for crimes against this town and its people. As punishment for your crimes, you are henceforth banished! Leave this place and never return!"

"But…but where am I to go?" I asked as more tears began to fall from my eyes. "Where am I supposed to go? I'll die on my own." The Elder walked forward to me and pressed a small square of paper into my palm.

"That…" she said coldly, "is none of our concern. Now leave this place!" She bellowed turning back from me and walking to the village.

"W-wait!" I cried going after her only to be pelted by rocks from the villagers.

"Get out of here freak!" They yelled angrily as they continued to throw stones at me until I ran far enough away that they couldn't hit me anymore. Now I truly was alone…nowhere to call home…no friends…no family. No Mama…No Papa…no one. As I tried to fight the tears that wouldn't seem to stop I unfolded the small piece of paper the Elder had given me. It simply read, "North Gate, one hour." For a moment my heart skipped a beat. Did my mother really want me back? Was the Elder going to sneak me back into the village and hide me away? Full of hope I immediately went towards the Northern Gate, only to find myself alone in the lantern's light.

My heart sank like a stone in the river, broken in two. Was this some sort of trick? Some game that the Elder wanted to play with my emotions. How could anyone be so cruel? "Is something wrong little girl?" The voice startled me and as I turned around and looked up into the wrinkled old face of a man with a long grey beard.

"I…I…" As I tried to find the words I needed I stepped backwards from him, tripping on a loose cobblestone. As I fell backwards I was shocked when the man thrust out his palm, causing my body to hover in the air before he righted me again. "You…have magic?" I asked cautiously. The man chuckled heartily as he knelt next to me, pulling back his hood to reveal his long shaggy hair.

"You must be Syndra…the Elder of your village told me a lot about you."

"She…she did?" I stuttered as the man smiled holding up his hands.

"Worry not, all good things. She told me you were a very sweet and well-behaved young girl whose been having trouble controlling the use of her magic…is that so?" I nodded softly, intimidated by the size of the large man that stood before me. "Well…she knew that this sort of thing may happen one day…so she asked me for a favor. How would you like to come live with me in my home?" I looked around me, trying to see if this was some sort of trick. Was this man going to laugh in my face if I said yes? Again I nodded, slowly. I flinched as he stuck out his hand, but when I saw that he wasn't going to hit me or hurt me I cautiously took his hand in mine and the two of us began to walk down the dusty path that lead away from the town.

When we arrived there, I was thrilled to discover that his home was a castle, a place where he said I could learn to control my magic and grow stronger without having to worry about hurting anyone…or anyone hurting me. For the first time in a very long time, I'd found a place where I could be free and happy. A few years passed by and soon I had reached my teens. I can still remember the way he'd call my name when I'd managed to get myself into trouble.

"SYNNNDRAAA!" The booming voice of my master awoke me from my bed as I managed to levitate myself at the last second to stop from falling on to the ground. I knew that tone well…it meant he wanted me in his presence, and he wanted me now. In addition to being my teacher, he served as my foster parent as well, having raised me to be a young lady and the like.

As I reached the doorway to the lab I peered inside to see him reaching for a potion that was hovering just out of his reach. "Blast that girl…" he muttered, "SYNDRA!" He shouted once more as I slowly floated in.

"Here master." I said cheerfully as I slowly landed on my feet and folded my hands cutely in front of me. "Did you need something?" I asked innocently. He glared at me and for a moment a shiver went up my spine as I became rigid.

"Don't you play dumb with me girl." He growled, "Perhaps you'd care to explain to me why it is that my potions are floating around the room as though they were birds?" I bit my lip nervously as I looked down at my feet before putting my finger to my lips in thought.

"Well…I was mixing that potion for the customer you asked me to make yesterday…and I was busy stirring the linseed oil but couldn't reach the bottle of Camellia extract so I tried to float it to me…but I kind of missed and got the night shade by mistake, but since I couldn't very well just drop the deadly night shade I just tried again…and I just kept missing, over and over again until…"

"Stop!" He said holding up his hand. "I've heard enough." He groaned rubbing his temples. "Syndra, what have I told you about making excuses?"

"Not to…but it's not an excuse I really…" he silenced me by holding up his hand once more.

"You know that you can't be doing things like this Syndra…you've got a responsibility as a mage to use your powers responsibly. Magic is not a toy, it is a tool. And we are the master artisans that use it with great expertise."

"Yes master…" I retorted sarcastically. This wouldn't have been the first time I'd heard this lecture.

"Drop that sass girlie, or else I'll give you another knot on your head like I did last week. And don't think I didn't see you eyeing that young lad who came into the shop yesterday…" My cheeks turned a bright red as I shook my head.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I snorted. It was true that I had kind of taken an interest in that client. But, that was only natural wasn't it? I mean I was becoming a young woman, and I was always cooped up in this place without any other boys or girls my age. So what if I had flirted a little bit, I wasn't hurting anything.

My master frowned at me his eyes narrowing as another shiver ran through my body giving me goosebumps. Those eyes of his were always so intimidating. They felt as though they could pierce through your soul. "Listen to me carefully Syndra…you must learn to control yourself…you can't allow yourself to be tempted by anyone or anything. If you do, your magic will run rampant…and…I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"But, Master, I'm not going to get hurt. I've gotten better since I've gotten here, and I'm able to almost form one of those energy balls like you do see?" I held up my hand and began to conjure up the magic before he quickly grabbed my hand pushing it down.

"Are you mad girl?! You could blow us to smithereens. I promised I'd teach you that spell in due time, but for now you've got work to do. First things first, get my potions down from there…and don't you dare drop a single one of them or I'll have your hide. Once you're done here you can go to the library and dust the books. Consider that your punishment for being irresponsible yesterday."

I wanted to argue that making me dust the books in the library was unfair, especially since he was the one who asked me to brew the potion in the first place, but one glare from him made me shut my mouth again before muttering, "Yes Master."

"Good." He said as his lips curved into a smile. "I'll leave you to your work then." With that he walked past me towards the entrance of the lab but not before ruffling my hair affectionately. "You've come a long way Syndra. Don't turn back now."

"I won't." I promised before giving him a kiss on the cheek. As he left the lab, I could hear him whistling a cheerful tune that faded along with his footsteps. Turning back to the mess that was currently hovering in the air above me I pondered for a moment before immediately lowering the bottles to the ground. Gazing at the bottles scattered around the floor I smirked. "Done." I said turning back and leaving the laboratory before I went to go clean the books as he asked me. I sighed as I began to daydream about the boy I had met the other day. He seemed sweet, and the way he smiled at me was unexplainable. I dreamt of him taking me far away from this place, to some remote mountain cottage where the two of us would sit and talk about nothing for hours on end. The best part would be that there would be no one to bother us…no one to hurt us or call us monsters. We'd be happy and free. Just like birds. I hummed softly as I twirled through the air, imagining me in the arms of some handsome man when I bumped into the bookshelf, causing nearly a dozen tomes to fall to the ground with a loud clatter. I froze. Some of these books were centuries old. If any of them were damaged…I didn't want to think of what creative punishment Master could think up for me.

I lowered myself to the ground, scrambling quickly to scoop up the grimoires and place them back on the shelf until my hand rested upon one with a midnight black cover, bound with lavender ribbon. It was almost spooky really, but at the same time it was absolutely beautiful. I couldn't explain it but I felt like I was supposed to find this book. Staring deep into the leather bound object I opened its pages, my eyes scanning its contents as I began to analyze the magical sigils and runes that rested there. I could scarcely believe what I was reading, this book told of ways to form energy balls that were much simpler and more powerful than the ones master made. The secrets nestled within the tome's pages were jaw dropping, if I could master the spells inside of the book I'd be as powerful as Master, maybe even more!

Excitedly, I rushed back to my room, leaving the feather duster set to automatically continue cleaning while I worked to unlock the book's riddles. My eyes tore across the pages as I read the book over and over again, cover to cover. Despite having started in the morning I was surprised when I heard the dinner bell after having read the tome for the fourth time through that when I looked up I found that orbiting around me were three perfectly round black spheres that glowed with a soft purple light. Just like the book, I noted to myself. I couldn't wait to see Master's reaction when he saw how perfectly I'd made mine…even he had a hard time keeping their shape and I managed to do it without even trying. I hovered down the hallways towards the dining hall where Master most likely sat waiting for me. As I entered in to the room I said nothing, not wanting to draw attention to them so I could see his face when he saw them for the first time.

"Where have you been girl? Your food is getting cold." He said as he sipped his goblet, before looking up to see the spheres. Immediately he spit out the wine coughing up the liquid that he'd accidentally inhaled in shock.

"Master? Are you okay?" I asked.

"Gods Syndra! What have you done?!" He asked, his eyes wide.

I smiled brightly clapping my hands together. "Isn't it neat? I found a really cool book while I was dusting off the bookshelves and it taught me how to make the energy balls like this."

Master shook his head. "No Syndra! That sort of magic is too dangerous, you aren't able to control it! I can't even control it! When are you going to get it into that empty head of yours that Magic is not some game! You can't just play around with these forces that you don't understand."

I folded my arms across my chest. "Oh I understand, I understand that you just don't want me to have more power than you. Is that it? Worried that I might show you up hmmm?" Where did that come from? It wasn't like me to talk back to him. The book seemed to be making me more confident, and indeed I felt stronger, like a lioness.

"Watch your tongue lass, you'll remember that I am your Master, not the other way around. And of course I want you to become more powerful than me, every Master dreams of his apprentice surpassing him some day. But this isn't the way to do it Syndra. You can't take shortcuts with this sort of thing. If it worked the way you wanted it to you'd have surpassed me long ago had I not dampened your magic." Did he just say…dampened my magic?

"You what?!" I screamed. "How could you do that to me?!"

"Calm down Syndra it was for your own good."

"No!" I screamed stomping my foot on the ground angrily causing the entire castle to shake. "Don't tell me to calm down! I'm not going to, you can't make me!"

Master looked around himself as he came closer to me. "Damn it girl, if you don't calm down this instant, so help me I'll take your magic away for good! If you want to prove you're responsible then show me!" I grit my teeth as I shoved my hands forward the energy balls slamming into him hard as it drove him to the ground.

"Shut up!" I screeched as I slammed the balls down on him over and over again. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" I looked down to see his eyes wide in horror, blood pouring from his mouth while his body lay in a crater, broken and beaten in. What had I done? "M-master?" I asked softly as I floated down towards him. "Master…are you alright?" My words began to catch in my throat. I watched the light fade from his eyes as I wrapped my arms around his frail old body. "Master? Master!" I sobbed clutching him tightly. I'd done it again, I killed another human being, again. As I looked up unsure of what to do I caught a glimpse of my reflection in one of the mirrors that was affixed to the wall. For a brief moment, I didn't see myself and Master…I saw Mama and Papa. Immediately I pushed his body away from me in revulsion. No…no this wasn't the same thing…was it?

He'd always held me back…he'd been blocking my magic since the very beginning. He always would punish me and make me do chores while he just relaxed and did whatever stupid thing he always did. Maybe he was like Papa…always locking me away in the temple and never allowing me to be myself or grasp my true power. He was scared of me, just like everyone else, and it was then I knew the truth of myself and my powers. Everything Master had told me was a lie…Magic wasn't a tool…it was power. It was made to be used however I saw fit to be used and to believe anything else was just absent-minded foolishness. I was a destroyer of life, a dangerous predator that no one could stand up to when it came down to it. I was practically a Goddess, living high above the weak and puny citizens that I once walked among. And why should I walk among them?! They don't deserve to walk the same Earth that I do. They should have to look up and know that I'm above them…a powerful Goddess able to destroy any one I pleased with but a thought.

I smirked as an idea began to formulate in my mind, and summoning all of the magic that had once been locked away from me the entire fortress began to shake violently. With a grunt of effort I felt the land break free from the Earth's surface, slowly rising into the air so that all of Ionia could see and look upon it in fear knowing that there was one among them so powerful. As my fortress floated closer I looked down at the body of my former Master, the last reminder that there was ever a time when I was inferior to another. With the grimoire at my side and full access to my powers I'd be unstoppable; I'd never have to answer to anyone ever again.

Raising my hand I lifted his limp corpse like a rag doll, manipulating it towards the front door of the fortress where the beautiful blue sky stood as a testament to the change to come. As the fortress floated over my old home I pulled a knife that I'd grabbed from the dining room and began to carve into my Master's chest. Finally I dropped his corpse from the sky, hurtling towards the Earth below.

As the old fool's body landed in the town square below he practically splattered against the hard stone like a bug on a windshield. A wicked smirk came to my lips as I watched the citizens stop their meaningless lives to investigate the strange human that was now lying in a pool of his own blood. When they finally came close enough, they'd see the message I left for them. Carved into the mage's chest was simply "Syndra." Sure enough they began to panic and scatter like cockroaches back to their homes, sealing their shutters and closing their doors as they all took cover.

Now I'd finally found my purpose, the place where I belonged. This was my rightful place, high above Ionia where I could ensure that no one would ever be above me again. Smiling to myself I wiped my hands of the blood from the old fogey before tossing the rag over the edge, letting it fall slowly to the ground. Now I was free…free to live my life however I desired. And for the longest time…I did. A year passed, then two, and then a decade…soon my name was passed around campfires like an evil hag in a fairy tale. My legacy became a story that parents told their children to frighten them into eating their vegetables and doing their chores lest I take them away to the fortress in the sky where I'd gobble them up for dinner. Such idle foolishness, crafted by the very same fools who had shunned me in the first place. Yet…there were times when I sat alone in my fortress, gazing into the fireplace that crackled and danced. Times when I'd realize that despite my power, despite everything, sometimes I wanted to go back to my old life. Occasionally I'd hoped to reach out to the people of my homeland…and maybe…just maybe, someone else would reach back.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Worlds Apart, Separate Ways Ch. 2

Author's Note: Hey everyone, I know it's weird for me to post the second chapter so soon after the first, but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't totally psyched about all this stuff. To be honest, I'm enjoying writing this story. Syndra is an absolutely fun character to bring to life, and to everyone who was hoping that an OC wouldn't be in this story, I'm sorry to disappoint you. You may be happy to know, however, that he's Syndra's punching bag, also something fun to write. At any rate...read it, fave it, follow it, review it. You know I love you guys, so feel free to tell me what you think! -Kiba Elunal

P.S. Best way to enjoy this story is with a bit of Vodka, particularly at the beginning. (Unless you're under legal drinking age. Then quit breaking the law kid.)

* * *

The other night, I sat upon the steps of my Fortress, watching as the village below became alight with lanterns and torches. It was the moon festival, they had one every year, and to be honest it was the day I wished most that I could go back to the people I'd abandoned. I'd watch as the people all donned their ceremonial clothes and filed out into the streets where they'd laugh and smile. The smells of the food vendors were so potent, even I could smell their amazing scents from where I watched in my safe haven.

But the best part, the very best part, was sitting on the steps and watching as beautiful fireworks rocketed across the sky before bursting into dazzling and radiant displays that flooded the normally dark night with colorful lights. Despite that I was so engrossed by the festival's events however I'd never have guessed that while my eyes were on the sky, someone else's eyes were on my home. For down in the village, unbeknownst to myself, there was a rather odd young man who found something he believed to be much more interesting than the fireworks: me.

* * *

As the gongs rattled and shook throughout the city, Ren walked with his friends who were all laughing and joking around as they always were. If he was being honest with himself, Ren never really understood the appeal of alcohol. It was bitter, foul-tasting, and it made people behave like utter morons. His view on it was that the entire world was full of really stupid people so why would anyone ever want to drink anything that made them even more so. He for one, viewed blissful ignorance to be a nuisance rather than a blessing. "H-hey…Ren…" One of his friends slurred as he stumbled into him. "Wh-whatcha lookin at?" A hiccup signaled the end of his question just in time for another drunken friend to lean against his shoulder.

"Oh I know what he's looking at…he's…hoping to get a glimpse of…of…of…wussit call again?" He asked the first man.

"I…uhhh…Iunno…the…dark sloberin'? I think." Ren sighed softly shaking his companions from himself.

"That's 'Dark Sovereign'." He corrected. "And no, I'm not. I mean let's be real; no one's seen this 'Syndra' for over a decade! She supposedly never comes down except to 'kidnap' children to gobble them up. I'm telling you she doesn't exist. She's just some sort of horror story that parents tell their kids at bed time." The two drunken idiots looked at one another confused.

"Then…why…why you shtarin' at the…wussit?" The man asked nudging his booze-soaked buddy.

"The flo…floatin…the big building in the air."

"Yeh, thashit." Ren turned to his friends with a smile as he placed his hands on their shoulders leaning closer in.

"Because think about it gentlemen! Above our heads is a building the size of a castle, with no rhyme or reason for why it's still there! Syndra or no Syndra, that building hasn't been stepped foot on for nearly 13 years now. Imagine what sort of secrets are in there. I swear, if I could, I'd check it out in a heartbeat."

"Liar…" one of his friends said pushing him away, "you're too…too…wussit?"

"Rooster…" the other one interjected.

"That's 'chicken'…" Ren sighed, "And I am not. I really would go to the Floating Fortress if I could."

"Well…"the first friend said, "I happen to know…that there's a place where the gap between the mountain and the floating fortress are only like…five feet apart…so if you're tellin' the truth…" he slurred guzzling another mouthful of sake from the bottle before pulling a map out of his pocket. "You should…go there…unless you're a rooster." He giggled before letting out a mocking cluck. I felt a wave of heat run through my cheeks at his taunts and without a second though I snagged the map out of his grasp.

"Fine! I will!" I snapped before turning to leave.

"Wait, wait, wait…hol'up." The other one said. "How we gonna know…tha yu acshully went there huh?"

"Yah…you need…you need…wussit?"

"Pruff."

"Proof?" Ren asked.

"Ya, thas it."

Ren pondered it for a moment before nodding. "Alright then. You're on. I'll bring my camera with me and take a picture from the Fortress of the Village, and then you'll have your proof." Ren immediately went to his home as fireworks burst in the sky, bathing the streets in reds and blues. He'd show them both, he wasn't scared in the slightest. Syndra was just a myth, he was sure of it.

The drunken friend looked to his buddy that was both leaning on and supporting him as if trying to focus on something clearly. "Hey…wait a ssshecond…where'd you even getta map to that place…?" He hiccupped as his friend looked up at him with glazed over eyes.

"Map…to whot place?" he asked. The first one began to laugh uncontrollably.

"The…the paper…idiot. The one you gave to Ren…" His drinking buddy furrowed his brow, trying to remember what paper he was referring to before he looked around, as though suddenly in a panic.

"Oh no, Ren dishappeared. Where'd Ren go?" His friend looked at him swaying a little.

"I dunno…he wash here a shecond ago…"

As the man patted himself he suddenly looked very sad. "Oh nos…shomeone…shtole my drawing…"

"Wot drawring?"

"The…the one of the mountain…I…I got it from…the shtall over dere." He pointed to the small booth that was set up selling hand sketches of the top down view of the mountain.

"Oh no!" His friend exclaimed drunkenly. "Shomeone stole it?! Who'd do…shuch a thing? Lesh…lesh tell the gate guard…maybe he…maybe he caught the shneak." And with that the two friends wandered off into the night, searching for the gate guards…which they'd forgotten were themselves.

Clutching his camera tightly, Ren shivered on the snow covered mountain. He looked down at the map his friend had given him again and let out a frustrated scream. This map didn't guide him anywhere! In fact he was pretty sure that what he thought was a trail was just a place where his friend had spilled something on the picture. He scolded himself for being so stupid. He should have known better than to trust something his drunken friend had given him. Now he may very well die on this mountain!

Well, at least with the map Ren could climb back down the way he'd come. As he turned back to leave a huge gust of wind rushed around him and before he could reclaim it the map had blown from his grasp, carried away on the Northerlies. Ren paused for a moment to revel in his bad luck before collapsing to his knees. "GODS DAMN IT!" He roared at the top of his lungs, his words echoing through the mountain range to signal to the world just how much of an idiot he'd been. "Can the universe possibly punish me any more for this?!" He cried as he collapsed in the heavy snow. Wait…were those…he brightened up as he saw his salvation: his footprints! He'd be able to follow them back down the mountain and back home where he could find his no good friend and slap some sense into him for taking him on this wild goose chase. His thoughts were interrupted however a low rumbling shook the entire mountain, causing him to turn to look upward just in time to see a large avalanche rushing towards him. He looked around quickly to find a cave just a little ways away and he immediately bolted for it, desperate to get there before the giant wave of snow carried him away. He managed to dive just in time, hitting the stone floor of the cave hard as the roar of the avalanche passed over him. "I must have been a terrible person in another life!" He muttered to himself as he waited for the mountain to stop shaking beneath his feet.

Within minutes he'd gotten his wish…the avalanche had stopped, but unfortunately for him, he'd been sealed inside of the cave by a wall of snow. He was almost ready to break into tears at how cruel fate was being to him and in anger he punched the wall of snow hard, causing the soft powder to barely crumble around his hand. He was trapped alright…trapped in this stupid cave where he'd most likely starve to death all because he wanted to prove to his friends (who were admittedly bums) that he wasn't some sort of coward. He reached for the glass lantern he'd brought for himself and striking a match against the rough stone went to light the candle only for a breeze to cause the flame to waver and flicker out before he could. Damn it! He groaned as he went to reach for another match before the realization hit him. A breeze! That meant there was an opening elsewhere in the cave! A new burst of motivation erupted inside of him as he quickly struck another match to light the lantern, and now armed with a source of light he began to slowly make his way through the dark tunnel.

He trudged on for what felt like hours…just how many miles of caverns did this cave have? He stopped for a moment, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. As he sat there he began wondering what would happen to him if he reached the end of the cave only to find that it led to a sheer drop. Or worse, what if the hole was too small to squeeze through? He hadn't thought to bring a pickaxe with him and so he would be stuck, able to see salvation but unable to grasp it. He immediately slapped himself to rid the thought from his mind. No he had to stay optimistic; he couldn't afford to be negative in a time like this.

With a renewed energy, he rose to his feet and continued to stumble along down the cave. When he finally reached what appeared to be a dead end he found a shaft that proceeded downward into the tunnel where large outcroppings appeared to be able to be used to climb down. Seeing little choice, he clipped the lantern to his belt and he began to scale the stone precipice.

The going was slow, every movement he made had to be deliberate he knew, as the light from his torch still hadn't reached the bottom yet. As he shifted a bit to reach the next foothold the one he was standing on snapped beneath his weight causing him to hang from the wall while his legs flailed about in a maddened attempt to find a perch. It was when he felt the sole handgrip break free that he knew once and for all, he was going to die.

As he began to fall he began praying to the Gods for help, just as the tunnel tilted direction and he found himself sliding on the smooth rock, picking up speed as he went. If not for the fact that he had no idea where the slide was going, he might have actually felt some relief in knowing that his death was delayed at least a little longer. He scrambled to try to slow himself down, but to no avail rolling over so that he was sliding backwards on his stomach. Soon however he felt himself flying through the air, a blinding light obscured his vision as he seemed to just float there. When his eyes finally adjusted he saw himself rushing towards a stained glass window. He had little time to contemplate the window's presence however when he crashed through it rolling on to his back from the momentum. He took a deep breath, laughing nervously to himself as he looked up at the stone ceiling above him.

Unsure of where he was, he sighed softly rolling to his feet before carefully inching to the window to take a look around. What he saw was absolutely breath-taking. He was at the mountain's peak…but that meant…he was in the Floating Fortress! He couldn't believe his luck. Perhaps the universe had smiled on him after all, he thought. Excitedly checking his camera and discovering that it still worked he opened the door of the room he'd landed in, eager to explore this mysterious place.

* * *

After the fireworks, I stood yawning as I stretched my arms high above my head. It was hard to believe it was so late already, I felt as if hardly any time had passed since the festival began, but like all good things I supposed that it too had to come to an end. As I pushed open the doors of the keep sleepily, my body hovered up the stone steps, the orbs circling around me as they seemed to always do now. I was lucky they did not interfere with my sleep, though even if they had I'm sure I'd have been able to find a way to banish them.

Heading to the kitchen I smiled as with a wave of my hand I conjured up some food and wine, using my powers to juggle the two as I turned the pages of the book that had most recently gained my affections. Unlike many of the others in the library, this one was an actual novel, and when I found it I had been so stunned that it was there that I almost thought it was a spell book written in some disguised code. I of course found that there were in fact many more novels like it, and it was this that I used to preoccupy my time while up here when I wasn't enjoying the sunshine outside or practicing my magic. This novel happened to be a steamy romance between some sweet and innocent girl and a cocky boy who discovered that despite the girl's plainness it was her inner beauty that mattered most, effectively changing the young boy's heart. As if such things could truly happen in the real world. But then, it is because such things cannot happen that they make for an entertaining story. When I finished my meal, I continued to read my book, finding myself rather invested in it until my eyelids finally became so heavy that I fell asleep amidst its thin pages.

The next morning I found myself awakened, though I knew not why…something had occurred, perhaps a bird hitting the window as they sometimes did? No. A bird would not have been as loud as to…I stopped mid-thought as a light shower of dust followed by a squeak indicated that there were footsteps above me. No, no. That couldn't be right, how would anyone possibly get up here? Who would want to? Perhaps the foundation of the castle was settling? No, that didn't make any sense either, there was no foundation. This warranted investigation, I decided, and should it be some poor bird that had managed to get trapped, I'd set it free and that would be the end of that. Without a sound, I hovered from where I had slept, my hair still a slightly frizzled mess as I ascended the twisting stair case that led to the second floor of the fortress. Soon enough I was at the door that led to my room, the one right above the dining hall. My hand was trembling as I reached for the door knob…though I knew not why; I was strong enough to take on anything that could possibly attempt to threaten me. Before I could touch it though, the door swung open quickly revealing a young man who looked up at me in shock. I imagined that I had a similar expression on my face. Of all the things I'd expected…this was not one of them.

After a moment of silence between us, I saw panic starting to form in his eyes and as he turned to run I immediately lashed out with my magic grabbing him by the ankle and causing him to fall on to his face. "Let me go!" He hollered as I dragged him from my room and dangled him over the banister so that I could get a better look at him, and if I needed to, drop him. "Look…" he said with tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. I honestly didn't think anyone lived here, I'm really really sorry. Just please don't take me to Syndra, just let me go and I promise I'll never bother you again." With a quick flick of my wrist I smacked one of my shadow orbs across his face to silence his blathering.

"Shut up." I ordered. "What the hell are you doing in my house?!"

"If I tell you…will you promise not to take me to Syndra to be killed?" He asked pleadingly.

"Idiot! I am Syndra, and whether or not I kill you still remains to be seen! Now answer the damned question!" He looked at me surprised.

"You?" He asked in disbelief. "Wow…you're…a lot prettier than I imagined you'd be."

I felt my cheeks flush a bright red before I let out a grunt of disgust before bashing him against the banister. "Why…are…you…in…my…house?" I growled through gritted teeth. With every word I'd give his body a threatening shake, causing small coins to fall from his pockets and rattle on the foyer some thirty feet below.

"I'm really sorry!" he cried again. "Really, I didn't think anyone was here!"

Bullshit. "You expect me to believe that no one told you about me? Maybe the village sent you here to find me! You think you're tough enough to take me on little man?" He shook his head quickly.

"N-no! I swear. I don't want to fight you! Yes, okay? They told me about you. Everyone knows about you. But I thought it was just a story y'know? Something parents told their kids to make them do what they wanted. Honest!"

Hmmm…maybe he was telling the truth. One way to find out. Releasing my hold on him he fell screaming as he plummeted towards the floor before I stopped him just inches from hitting the ground. "Last chance…" I sang from the second floor. "Tell me the truth or I'll drop you again."

"That is the truth! I swear. Just please don't drop me again!" Satisfied I released my grip on him accidentally dropping him on his head on the floor.

"Ah! Sorry!" I quickly apologized before clearing my throat. "I mean…get out!" Leaping over the banister I slowly floated to the ground beside him. "You know of me, so you know what I'll do to you if you don't leave here, this instant." He nodded bowing his head to the floor as though he were trying to kiss my foot. I immediately pulled it away from him.

"Yes, yes. Thank you, thank you. Thank you, your mercifulness." He muttered before I kicked him square in the jaw.

"For the third time, SHUT UP AND GET OUT!" He nodded and immediately dashed for the door, and the instant he was outside I slammed it shut behind him. Well, that made for an exciting morning. Looking down at the mess of coins on the ground I began to gather them up with my powers, stacking them on the end table nearby. A knock on the door made me give an exasperated sigh before turning to it and opening it up to reveal him standing there rather nervously. "What?!" I snapped causing him to shrink away.

"I'm…I'm really sorry…Madam Syndra…is that okay if I call you that?...I umm…I don't know how to get back down."

"Why not back the way you came?" I growled just as I was about to shut the door again but he placed his hand against the door to stop me. He hadn't really pushed on it hard, I could have still slammed it shut on him, but if he was stupid enough to think he could try to force his way in then he must be way too stupid to make his own way down. "Fine…" I huffed as I floated outside after him, standing by the edge of the fortress.

He nervously crept up beside me, his voice shaking. "So…are you going to..like, take the fortress down or…" he didn't get to finish his sentence as I hurled him over the edge of the fortress letting him fall about half way before I slowed his descent. Turning back from the edge, my long white hair flowed behind me as I returned to my home away from the world. Ascending the stairs once more, I went to my room to inspect it to see if the moron had broken anything.

Opening the door, everything seemed to still be in order, save a small black box that rested on the ground. "He must have dropped it when I pulled him out…" I muttered to myself as I walked carefully to the small device. It was surprisingly heavy when I picked up, turning it left and right I couldn't for the life of me determine what it was. As I brought it closer to inspect it, my finger must have triggered something because it let out a bright flash directly in my eyes causing me to drop the thing in shock. What in the hells was that?! My heart was pounding heavily as a small piece of white paper slipped out of the thing. Trembling, my hand reached for it carefully, in case the weird device blinded me again and giving it a light tug I turned the paper to see a shocked reflection of myself. What?! But…how did…? I picked up the small box again, this time treating it much more carefully. I'd never seen such a thing before…there was nothing like this when I lived down on the surface. Another flash as I pushed the button, another piece of paper slid out with my face on it. It seemed like whatever this thing was, it was able to make some sort of painting instantly. I had to try it out more.

I found no matter how strange of a face I made it was able to mimic it perfectly as though by magic. I began to make all sorts of paintings with it. I used random things in the fortress, took pictures of books, even my own reflection in the mirror was perfectly replicated as though I were staring at it myself. I began posing in different ways, as I used my powers to make it take portrait after portrait, each time it printed one out it would make me giggle from how silly I looked before I tossed the paper behind me before finding something else to capture. I had never had as much fun before as I zoomed all about the house, even managing to capture birds midflight with the magical device. Soon the foyer was littered with the small pieces of paper and smiling I decided to take another picture of myself balancing on one of my energy balls. But when I pressed the button, there was a click as it had done in the past, but nothing came out of it. Frustrated I tried it again and again, but to no avail. "Work you stupid contraption!" I yelled at it, shaking it in hopes that perhaps something got stuck in the slot and it was just blocking the portraits. But when it still refused to work I became irritated. Dropping it on the ground I smashed it to bits until it was just a bunch of crumbled up plastic and glass.

"Ha!" I exclaimed, "that will teach you to defy my will foul contraption." It was startling that I had spent all day playing with the gizmo, and just as I turned to leave a sudden knock on the door gained my attention. Another visitor? What in the hell?! Floating to the door I opened it to see the same idiot from before smiling bashfully with his hands behind his back. "What do you want?" I snapped as he flinched from my shouting.

"I…I just realized…I forgot my camera…heh…have you seen it by chance?" My thoughts began to run wild as the image of the small magic box that could paint pictures came to mine. Is that what he meant?

"Cam…er..a?" I asked curiously. "Never heard of such a thing. Sorry, but it's not here." I turned to close the door just as he bent down and picked up one of the hundreds of pictures scattering the floor.

"Uh huh…" He said turning it over. "I guess you really like pictures huh?" I noticed the one he was looking at was one of the ones where I had blown a kiss to the device and immediately I ripped it from his grasp my cheeks burning a bright red. "If you used all the film, that's really okay…I just really would like my camera back."

"Film?" I asked him raising an eyebrow. He frowned placing a finger to his lips.

"Boy you're really out of touch huh? I bet you don't even know what a movie is."

I turned a bright red and immediately smashed him hard with one of my orbs knocking him to the ground. "Of course I do!" I yelled, though the truth was that I had no clue. "How dare you attempt to mock my intelligence?! What sort of a buffoon doesn't know what a movie is?" I folded my arms over my chest floating away as he rubbed his chest where I'd struck him.

"Ow…of course…should have known." Leaning down I collected the small broken bits of what used to be his camera before hovering back towards him. This time, I was surprised when he didn't recoil from me. Perhaps I wasn't being hard enough on him, or worse, perhaps he began to think something stupid like I'd started to enjoy his presence.

"Here." I said dumping the garbage into his open hands causing his eyes to go wide.

"Y-you broke it?!" He cried. "What the hell is your problem? You can't just go around breaking people's things you know?" Immediately I put my heel on the back of his head pressing his face into the ground.

"And just who do you think you are to talk to me in such a way?! You're lucky I'm giving you anything! I should just throw you off this fortress and watch you splatter like the insignificant bug you are." I growled. He had some nerve talking to me like that.

"Y-you're right! I'm s-sorry Madame Syndra…please, stop kicking me." He begged. With a frown I pulled my foot from him with a sigh.

"Well. You have your camera now. So you can just go on back home to the rest of those cockroaches you call your village." As I began to close the doors again he once again placed his hand against it.

"Wait." What was this guy's problem?! Couldn't he tell that I didn't want him around?

"What?" I sighed rolling my eyes. Then, he did the strangest thing anyone had ever done. He looked up at me, clutching the broken pieces and his eyes sparkling like a puppy.

"Thank you." He said. He was thanking me? For giving him what was now worthless trash? I was right, he was an idiot.

"Get out." I said coldly before once more shutting him out of the fortress. At this point I didn't care if he could get down or not. I wasn't opening that door for him. All I wanted was for him to leave and never come back. I just wanted to be alone, was that really so hard for him to understand? As far as I was concerned he'd be doing the world a favor by leaping from here.

* * *

Ren sighed softly as he looked at the garbage that she had given him. As much as he wanted to be angry, he couldn't. The expression she had in the photo was sweet and cute; it wasn't something that could really be faked easily. He knew it was foolish to push his luck, but he couldn't help but feel that that picture was proof that there was something else beneath this rough surface that she put up. "What was it that made her this way?" He wondered to himself as he pulled the pitons out of his back pack. He knew what she'd told him…but he also knew that she didn't tell him to not come back either. Using a mallet he hammered the spikes for the rope ladder before unrolling it over the edge and watching it trail downward in the wind. That was when, watching the rope flail about in the breeze, that he decided: he wouldn't give up until he found the real Syndra.

As he descended the ladder, he began thinking of ways to spend more time with her. If he was to learn about her, that's how it would be done. The only conceivable way. He nodded to himself before finally dropping safely down to the ground and looking up at the floating patch of Earth that cast a shadow above him. Turning to the village he tugged his backpack further on to his back in determination, and began to make the long trek home.

"Hey Ren!" The two guards at the gate called out to him as came up. They were both holding icepacks on their heads. "Where have you been?"

"Yeah, we've been looking all over for you."

Ren looked at them both confused before shaking his head. "I told you idiots that I was going to the Floating Fortress. Hell, dumbass here even gave me a fake map." He said jerking his thumb towards the guard on the left.

"What?"

"Yeah, while you two were slobbering drunk last night, you nearly sent me on a wild goose chase that almost got me killed. Luckily, I managed to bump into Syndra and she helped me get back down the mountain." The guards blinked.

"Syndra?!"

"Bullshit!"

Ren shook his head. "No bullshit guys. She's actually surprisingly cute…and I don't know…there's something about her…I can't put my finger on it but I feel like…I don't know. I just don't think she's as bad as all the stories make her out to be."

"She's cute?" One of the guards laughed. "We're talking about the same Syndra right? The one who killed her father and her teacher before bathing in their blood and eating their flesh?"The other one nudged him with his elbow joining in on the laughter.

"Leave it to Ren to fall in love with a monster right?" He laughed. Ren gritted his teeth together before pushing them both out of the way angrily entering the town. The two of them watched him leave, their laughter ceasing as they watched their friend storm off. "Sheesh…what's eating him?"

"If he's not careful…Syndra will." The two of them looked at one another before they once more burst into laughter, unable to control themselves. When Ren got back to his home he slipped inside before tossing the camera into the trash. So she'd been away for quite some time…ten years was quite a bit. How could he possibly show her that she could trust him…if no one else? Looking out his window up at the shadow of the Floating Fortress he smiled. Maybe…just maybe…his idea would be just crazy enough to work.

* * *

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Worlds Apart, Separate Ways Ch. 3

As Ren's eyes opened slowly, he smiled knowing that today was the day his plan would be put into action. He had done some research the night before on the mysterious Syndra, and despite finding nothing helpful, he did know one thing: the ten years of technology she had managed to miss while away. Rolling from the bed he eagerly began to put on his clothes before gathering the things he'd need for his day with Syndra, assuming she didn't simply slap him silly then slam the door in his face. As he looked at the pieces strewn about he grinned to himself. He had a rolled up sheet, a projector and speaker set with a VCR/DVD hook up, both able to be powered by battery. New batteries, a battery powered hot-air popcorn maker and a bag of the popcorn, and of course a collection of movies that he had selected himself. He'd noticed that she had a romance novel the last time he was in there, and as cheesy as it was (considering it was not a date) he'd found a wide variety of romantic films ranging from the funny comedies to the sad tragedies.

For the longest time he stood there staring at the components, ensuring that he'd managed to grab everything he'd needed and as he began to pack them back up he paused for a moment before grabbing a notepad, a pen, and finally the present he had gotten for her the day before. Putting the brightly colored package into the backpack with the rest of the components, he slung them on to his shoulders before setting out into the morning with a grin on his face. Looking up at the looming construct that was ever present he congratulated himself on a well-devised plan.

* * *

I hummed softly to myself as she continued to organize the tiny paintings that the camera had made the day before. She was rather proud of my cleverness to think to organize them within a book so that I could look at them later should I want to. I was surprised when I finally organized the last one within the tome and since it was nearly lunch time I hovered slowly down the stairs to make myself lunch for the day. No sooner had I gotten to the grand foyer that I heard the dull sound of knocking against the door. I froze, turning my head slowly towards the wooden door. That idiot had come back again, hadn't he? I sighed softly to myself, slowly floating to look through the peep hole. Sure enough it was him, with the same dopey grin on his face that he always had. Just as he reached up to knock again I groaned, he clearly had no thoughts of leaving. Of course, I couldn't exactly just pretend that I wasn't home, not even he was that stupid.

I opened the door just as he was about to knock again with a frown. "What in the Nine Hells are you doing here?" I growled before he smiled sheepishly and offered me a brightly colored package. I blinked for a moment looking at it cautiously. "What is this?" I asked.

"A gift." He replied before I slapped him across the face for his idiocy.

"Yes, obviously. Don't be stupid. I mean why are you giving it to me?" He gently rubbed his cheek before looking back at me.

"Well, I felt kind of bad that I was so rude to you last time I was here. I know you probably didn't think I'd come back for the camera, so I guess you were kind of in the right to break it. I mean I did leave it in your home by accident. So I wanted to give you this to say sorry." I frowned as he bowed politely to me. This man was by far, the most idiotic person I'd ever encountered. I took the small package from his grip before shutting the door in his face and turning to head back to the kitchen. I hadn't taken two steps before he knocked on the door again. I opened the door again. "Yes? Something else?" I asked.

"I wanted to watch you open it." He replied with a shy grin.

"Too bad." I retorted. "And if you knock on my door again I'll kill you. Now get the hell out of my fortress." I once more slammed the door on him before scratching my head. That should keep him out. Just as I turned back again I heard the soft 'bing-bong' of the doorbell. That bastard was going to get punched in the face. "What the Hells did I just say?!" I growled as I opened the door.

"Not to knock." He said with a grin. "So I rang the doorbell instead." I could feel my cheeks becoming flushed.

"You're not going to go away until I let you in…are you?" He shook his head before I let out a frustrated groan. "Fine, but note the only reason I'm not killing you is that I don't want to have to scrub your blood out of my floor."

"Yes ma'am." He replied causing me to glare at him. "Madame?" He asked. My glare intensified. "Mis-"

"How about you just shut up and don't talk?" I snapped before turning back to the kitchen. As I hovered I could hear him following me before I stopped and turned back to him. "Now what is it?"

"I still want to watch you open the present." He said softly. "If you don't mind that is." Is that how gifts worked? Was I supposed to let him watch me open it? I mean, what if I didn't like it very much? I'd only ever gotten one other present in my life, and that was on my birthday a long time ago before any of this started. It was a small hair pin in the shape of a lily that my mother had given me. When my father found out he'd become angry and snapped it in two before throwing it into the garbage. I never got another present again.

I let out a sigh. "Fine. If you insist so much, then I shall open it." I looked down at the brightly colored tin foil, gently tugging on one end of the bow to carefully untie it. As a bit of the paper tore I cringed, but when I looked at him he was still smiling. Did he not care that I hurt the handiwork he put in to wrapping it?

"Something wrong?" he asked. I frowned and turned my nose up into the air.

"This paper is far too delicate." I said causing his smile to become even bigger.

He covered his mouth and it took me a moment to realize he was laughing at me. One look from me and he fell silent. "Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh. The paper's meant to be delicate so you can rip it off easier. I should have said something." I felt my cheeks become bright red again.

"Well of course it is, idiot. I meant that it was far too delicate for my tastes. Do you think me some sort of fool?"

"Of course not. I just find it cute that…" I looked at him quickly my blush intensifying before I bounced one of my orbs off his nose again causing him to cover his face with a pained grunt. "Sorry…won't say that again."

"Good." I replied before quickly ripping the paper from the object to find a small box. "A box?" I asked puzzled.

"It's inside of the box." He explained still holding his nose where I'd struck him. Just as I was about to hit him again he held up his hand defensively. "Just reminding, not telling." He quickly said causing me to stop. Taking a deep breath I opened the small box, and looking inside I saw a familiar black box, similar to the one he'd left beforehand. "You seemed to really enjoy my old one…so I thought I'd get you your own. Do you like it?"

I had to resist the urge to grin before I simply tossed it over my shoulder though used my magic to ensure it landed softly enough on the counter that it wouldn't get damaged. "It's rubbish." I commented causing him to frown slightly as a small pang of guilt ran through me. "Well…at any case…thank you for giving it to me. Idiot." That seemed to cheer him up a bit before he pulled his backpack off and set it on the table. "What is that?" I asked. "Not that I care." I quickly added before he smiled knowingly at me.

"This…is a movie set…I remember you said you knew what they were, so I thought I'd bring you some classics. Maybe you'll like them."

"Of course not…I loathe…what did you say it was again?"

"Movies."

"Yes! I loathe movies. I find them annoying and hideous to the eye. Take them from my sight or I shall hurl them off the cliff."

He thought about it for a moment before shrugging and placing the pack back over his shoulders. "Well okay…if you insist. I just thought you might want to see the moving pictures." He replied turning away and walking towards the door. Did he say…moving pictures? As in, they genuinely moved?

"Wait." I called after him. He stopped and I could sense a sly grin on his lips as he turned back to me with a confused expression.

"Yes?" He asked innocently.

"About…how long must I endure looking at these movies…before I see the moving pictures?" I asked suspiciously. His expression brightened.

"You know what…don't worry about the movies…we can just skip straight to the moving pictures." My eyes brightened.

"Truly?" I asked excitedly before clearing my throat. "I mean…yes, that would be best obviously. Fool, why did you not suggest that first?" He smiled to me and for a moment I thought he'd say something embarrassing again. But instead he just nodded.

"But of course, how stupid of me. I hope you can forgive me."

"I suppose I can…" I replied, "just this once." He smiled taking his back pack and walking back towards me.

"Alright…we'll need a place to set up the moving pictures. Preferably a big empty room with comfortable chairs." I thought about it for a moment.

"Would the lounge work?" I asked curiously before he nodded.

"Perfect. Would you mind showing me the way? I'm afraid I still am rather easily lost in here." I sighed softly before nodding.

"Fine, right this way." I replied floating towards the stair well where he followed me. Every few seconds I'd look back to make sure he was still following me before speeding up a little bit. I had to admit I was really excited to see the moving pictures. I'd never even heard of such a thing before. It must have been a powerful mage that cast them, though I've never come across such a spell in my studies. Admittedly, I'd kind of foregone my studies a while back in favor of the novels I'd been reading. Perhaps this idiot knew the spell and could tell me how to use it on my book.

I watched him curiously as he dragged over an end table, carefully putting a small silver box on it and pointed it towards the fire place. It was so strange; it had four stubby little legs and a weird oculus device on its face. But what was stranger still were the dozens of tiny colored circles on its back. Noticing I was staring he smiled softly at me causing me to blush and look away. I waited until I was sure he couldn't see me then went back to watching him carefully. As he placed another silver box with two slots on its side on the table, he then began to connect black wires between their colored circles connecting one to the other. "The one with the weird eye-like thing is called a projector." He said suddenly causing me to nearly jump a bit.

"Wh-what?" I asked surprised, my heart still racing from the sudden noise.

He turned back smiling at me, those eyes of his glimmering in the fire light. "This one…" he repeated, pointing to the first box, "it's the projector. Its job is to throw the moving pictures against the wall so you can see them. Unlike the pictures from the camera, these pictures aren't permanent as they keep moving see? So you have to have this special box in order to show them to people." I nodded examining it in interest. "One thing you shouldn't do, don't look directly into its eye otherwise the light will hurt your eyes." Immediately I moved away from its eye before hovering towards the second box.

"And this one?" I asked curiously.

"This is the VCR/DVD player. VCR stands for video cassette recorder. A 'video' is the name for a portable set of moving pictures, 'cassette' being the name of the small black box that holds them. Older moving pictures were stored on those, but these days we use something a bit different. See people found that the 'cassette' which physically held the pictures inside, were far too bulky. They took up too much room. So now they've learned how to store them in a small disc, by burning tiny grooves into its surface. Which brings me to the second part. DVD stands for 'Digital Video Disc'. Digital means that it doesn't have the actual pictures inside of it, just the information that tells the machine what they look like. It makes the pictures clearer, the discs are smaller, and the sound that comes with them is sharper."

"They have sounds?!" I asked in disbelief. He looked up blushing softly.

"Oh yeah, haha, I should have mentioned that earlier, sorry. Originally they just had the pictures, in black and white, and with no sound. Whenever people would talk, they'd just show a sign saying what they said. But then they learned how to put sound in videos. And after that they learned how to make color. Most videos are like that now, though sometimes the black and white ones are still good. I'm not too big on the silent ones though."

"Why not?" I asked curiously.

"Well…they only really put in key parts or phrases. They couldn't really put every word in it otherwise it'd be more reading and less watching. But I always feel like I miss stuff when I see crowds talking, but can't hear them. Even if it isn't important, I'm still interested in what they have to say you know? It's the same thing in real life too." As he hooked up two more much smaller boxes I watched him before running my hand over the fabric that covered them. "These are called 'speakers', inside is a cone that moves back and forth quickly. By doing that it makes the air vibrate, which in turn makes the sound for the movie."

"Movie?" I asked. "I thought you said we were skipping the movie." He immediately turned bright red and cleared his throat. "What is it? Have you lied to me?" I growled clenching my fist.

"N-no, no. I just didn't want to upset you. A movie is a shortened word that means 'moving pictures'. When I asked you if you wanted to see one, I didn't think to explain that a movie was the 'moving pictures'." Now it was my turn to blush as I looked away.

"Well… of course…I knew that." I said with a huff looking away. I felt so foolish around him, how was it that someone so idiotic could make me feel so stupid some times.

"Hey…don't beat yourself up over this stuff okay? It was new to all of us at some point. That's one of the benefits of living down below I suppose is that you always get people to tell you about stuff and you learn so much more from them. I may know a bit about this, but I promise you I'm just as stupid as you keep saying I am. You know a lot more than me about everything else I'm sure." I looked up at him, his words kind and polite and I smiled softly. I almost thanked him before another part of my cold heart warned of what he was attempting to do.

"Don't compare yourself to me you impudent worm. You are nothing in comparison to my greatness." He sighed softly and went back to work on the machine.

"Yeah, sorry. My mistake." He whispered as he continued to work. I could tell I upset him, but I had to keep my distance. The last time I trusted someone they had tried to take away my magic and I couldn't let that happen again. "Alright, almost done. Could you put out the fire for me?" He asked before pulling out a long white sheet. With a wave of my hand the fire was smothered leaving only a small wisp of smoke. He pulled one of the chairs to the side and stood on it lifting one corner of the sheet as high as he could before taping it to the wall.

"There. Now the other one." He muttered to himself as he repeated the process with the second corner. That way the sheet barely dangled off the ground below. Stepping away he admired his handiwork when my stomach suddenly let out a low growl. I turned a bright red and cleared my throat. I had forgotten completely about lunch with the excitement of watching the moving pictures. "Are you hungry?" He asked turning back to look at me. I nodded softly slightly embarrassed that he had been able to hear that.

"Well, lucky for you I have just the thing. See there's a snack that is almost always associated with watching movies."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Popcorn." My mind immediately went back to the bustling town squares where the street vendor had the huge machine that popped out the strange white substance.

"Oh but…does that mean you've got to go back to the town to get some?" He shook his head.

"Nah, I can just make some here." I looked at him in surprise.

"What are you talking about? I don't have one of those gigantic contraptions in here. I wouldn't even know how to use it if I did!" He looked over his shoulder at me where he was rustling through his satchel. When he turned back he had a small plastic thermos looking thing with a strange nose on it.

"This," he explained, "is able to make popcorn for us. It uses hot air instead of a flame so it doesn't require as big of a machine to do it."

"Lies!" I exclaimed as he smiled opening it and pouring in the small hard seeds from his pouch.

"Not at all. Do you have a bowl?" He asked and immediately with a wave of my fingers I conjured one for him with great interest in watching him craft the food from such a small device. Sure enough after he closed the lid and turned it on I could hear a high whistle as it began to heat up followed by a rapid popping sound. Soon enough it was pouring from its nozzle as I watched amazed. Taking a small piece from it he tossed it into his mouth and swallowed it before passing the full bowl to me. Following his lead I too ate a piece and found it was absolutely delicious.

"That's incredible." I whispered causing him to scratch the back of his head bashfully.

"It's not that big of a deal." He replied. "If you want I'll leave it here with you when I go later. I can leave you some popcorn to make with it too. Just…promise you won't break this one okay?" I nodded in agreement as I examined the small device. "Alright. Now comes the fun part. Picking the movie. What sort of movie do you want to watch?"

"Sort?" I asked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, movies are meant to tell a story to people. Because of that there are lots of different types, just like books. Action, comedy, romance, musicals, horror, tragedy, drama, suspense, mystery, the list goes on." He kicked the backpack towards me with a smile. "There are even combinations, like horror-comedy or romantic- action. Just look through here and tell me which one you want." Eyeing the treasure chest of boxes I began to look through them curiously. As I began to dig through them, my hands wrapped around a violet box and turning it over, my heart sank as I read the title.

"Syndra: Monster of Ionia." I whispered softly. Immediately he was up and plucked the movie from my hands before hurling it against the wall with surprising force. I watched as the disk hit the wall and slid back down before he looked back at me.

"Syndra…I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for…"

"No…it's okay." I said holding up my hand. "I am a monster." As I looked down to look through the other movies I saw him out of the corner of my eye as he walked to the box and opened it. Pulling out the small disk I watched as he easily snapped the thing in two before depositing it into the garbage along with the box. Turning back to the bag I began to look at the different covers. 'The Legend of Kal' A romantic action movie, 'From the Stars' a romantic drama. I reached down picking up a small pink box and read its title out loud. "Smooth Criminals, a romantic crime story that is sure to _excite_." He plucked that one out of my hands as well, his cheeks a bright red.

"Yeah…that one wasn't supposed to be in there either. Sorry." I looked at him confused before reaching in and seeing one that I recognized.

"The Journal…this is the book I read just last week." He beamed.

"Oh, perfect. Often they take books and make them into movies so that people can watch them, not just read them. But I've got to warn you, that one will bring you to tears." Deciding against that embarrassment, I reached back down and pulled out another one that looked interesting.

"Much Ado about Something?" I asked curiously causing him to grin.

"Oh, that one's a classic. It's a great story, one that I think you'll find really funny." I shrugged and handed him the disk, unsure of what to think or expect as he put it in. Sitting in one of the chairs he patted the spot next to him before drawing the shade down the window and bathing the room in darkness.

"I'm confused…how are we going to see the pict…" my words were stopped as the small device fired a cone of light at the sheet, filling it with a large screen that offered the words 'Approved for Preview'. I was immediately stunned as a voice boomed from the speakers.

"That summer…was unlike any I'd ever experienced…" it began as I watched a man walking down a dirt path. Before I could see any further though, the image vanished replaced by a screen that simply said 'Much Ado About Something'.

"What happened to the movie?" I asked. "Why did it cut off like that?"

"Oh sorry, I should have told you. Before movies there are things called commercials. They tell you about movies that are coming up, but since this is an old one most people just skip over them. That wasn't the movie, but I'll start it up now." Pushing the button I was shocked as images began to move across the screen much to my delight. He was right; many of the things in the movie were very funny, like the way that Benedict and Beverly were constantly insulting one another with witty repartees. But other parts of it were sweet, like the way that Claud fell for Hiro at first sight or how in the end Benedict and Beverly were tricked into falling in love with one another despite their constant arguing.

"This Don Juan is a cruel monster." I stated about half way through. "Should he continue his plan, I shall slay him immediately."

"Whoa, whoa." The idiot interjected. "I know they seem like they're here, but you can't actually interact with them. And they're not actually real people, so to speak."

"What do you mean?" I asked puzzled. "They look real."

"Well…they are real people in a sense. But it's like a play, they're just actors. They're not actually mean like that." I nodded in understanding as I continued to watch, occasionally picking up a handful of popcorn and shoving it hungrily in my mouth. "You know…" he suddenly commented as we watched a scene involving the constable Foxberry and his deputy Verjes, "these two seem awfully familiar to me. I wonder why…"

I simply shrugged and continued to watch the movie. The two were obviously idiots, much more so than any of the fool's dimwittedness anyway. But like him they were genuine and kind, and I had to admit, that for once I was rather pleased that he was here.

Soon however, the movie was over, and small words began to appear on the screen as the scrolled upward. Reaching over he pressed a button on the projector, turning off the movie and lifting the veil over the window revealing it to be night time. "Oh wow…I didn't realize how long the movie was." He said glancing at his pocket watch. "It's already night time."

"Really?" I asked looking out the window. "I thought it had only been an hour at the most." He smiled softly at me and shrugged.

"You know what they say: time flies when you're having fun." I blushed brightly at his words before shoving him with a hmmph.

"As if…I must have fallen asleep in the middle of it and not realized how long it'd taken for me to wake back up." He chuckled softly before nodding.

"Very well, Madame Syndra…my apologies for not being able to thoroughly entertain you. Though…would you mind too terribly if I were to leave my things here? I'd so hate to have to carry it back to the village so late." My mind reeled at the possibilities. He would leave this here…with me? I could watch even more of the moving pictures if he did so. Thinking quickly I flicked my hair over my shoulder.

"Well…I suppose you can leave it here for the night. I'd hate to see a weakling like you struggling to carry it back anyhow. It is pathetic that you were so winded bringing it here in the first place." He seemed to buy it as he packed up some of his things and leading him back to the entrance he stopped before turning back to me.

"Hey…Syndra?" He asked.

"Yes idiot?" I replied.

"I was just wondering…would you mind too terribly if I came back tomorrow? I have lots of other stuff I want to show you…if you don't mind." His cheeks turned a bright pink as he spoke and I sighed softly. He really was an idiot.

"Very well…I suppose since you've spent all day attempting to entertain me, another one wouldn't do harm." I replied before turning to close the door behind him.

"Oh and Syndra…" he called out causing me to pause.

"Yes?" I asked.

"My name…it's Ren. Just so you know."

"Hmmph, like I care what you wish to call yourself. You're an idiot, so idiot is what I shall call you. It is only fitting after all. Now good night, idiot." I closed the door in his face before quickly ascending the stairs. There were so many other movies to watch. I was especially curious about that Smoothest Criminals movie; I wanted to know why he was so quick to hide it from my view.

* * *

Ren smirked as he watched Syndra close the door on him. His plan had gone off perfectly without a hitch. He knew he was on to something about her, she was a good person at heart! He could tell the way she protested the actions of Don Juan in the movie that she wasn't an evil person. And the way she had laughed at the antics and wit of the two lovers, it was a sound so angelic he couldn't possibly have pictured it coming from the lips of a murderer.

Humming softly to himself, he went to the ladder, looking up through the window of the lounge to see the flickering colors of the projector. "Good bye Syndra. I'll see you tomorrow." He whispered softly to himself, before lowering himself slowly down the rope ladder.

* * *

Placing the Smoothest Criminals DVD within the players and pushing start as I'd seen Ren do, I waited patiently for the screen to come on. For the first few minutes of the movie, I was puzzled as to why he didn't want me to see it. After all, the way that the handsome protagonist took out the guards of the town was exciting to say the very least. After being forced to join the police academy, I was nervous to see what would happen if his partner found out about his double life of crime.

Atleast…until the point where she did. As she confronted him I began to sip from the goblet of wine I'd conjured before he managed to pin her down using his hands to touch her breast. That was unusual to say the least. However, when his other hand slid between her legs, the camera zooming in to view as he slid two of his fingers into her private area I quickly spit out my drink in shock, coughing on the liquid I'd managed to inhale.

"What the hell? Why does he even have this?" I asked myself, but the view of the woman's face wasn't one of surprise or even anger, it was one of pleasure that wasn't even able to be concealed from the man, despite the fact that she whispered words of protest. My eyes widened every minute I sat there watching the movie, as time went on things became more and more perverse. The man even at one point had shoved his…his…thing inside of her. And she was loving it! My cheeks were a bright red as I managed to swallow a lot more wine in an attempt to drown my flustered thoughts. When the 'credits' as the idiot called them started to roll, I found myself rather tipsy as well as still filled with that warm feeling that had first appeared when I'd first seen the protagonist with the woman. Turning off the projector, I hovered away, bumping into the door frame of the rooms a couple of times before I finally got to mine.

Laying in my bed, I slid out of my clothes as I gazed up at the moon thinking about the things I'd witnessed in the movie. I was curious as to why the woman so enjoyed having herself invaded like that. Surely it couldn't feel that good to be touched there. I thought about it for a moment and shyly I slid my hand down my body, stroking my lower area. As I did, waves of tingling pleasure rippled through me causing me to gasp in surprise. It really did feel good. Hesitating for another moment I slowly slid a finger inside of me, pumping it in and out as I'd seen the man do in the movie, causing the pleasure to be even greater as it sent me shuddering. It was no wonder she loved this so much, I thought as I began to move faster and faster, unable to stop. It was when my thumb pressed against the small nub at the top of my genitals that a fire raced through me and I felt my body seize with pleasure unlike any I'd experienced before, the liquids inside of it dribbling out onto the bed beneath me as I pulled out my slick fingers in a daze.

But the one question I found myself asking as I began to fall asleep, was why when I'd seized up so, did I see that idiot's face in my mind.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Worlds Apart, Separate Ways Ch. 4

Author's Note: Hey everyone, I know my posting schedules been rather sporadic lately what with the acquiring of my new job and all. The publishing process for my novel goes slowly, but don't worry about it all in due time I'll have that book on amazon ready for you all to purchase and read in its entirety. In other news, some of you may or may not have noticed that a new story has joined the line up by the name of 'The Cobalt Blues'. You guys may find it interesting. It's my first story to not take place in the League of Legends universe, rather it takes place in the Country of Vale and focuses on the escapades of Team CBLT at Beacon Academy and their various antics. I'd like to thank all of you again fro your support, and I hope desperately that you'll guys enjoy this latest chapter, as well as The Cobalt Blues. Be sure to leave a review for me to let me know what you like or don't like about the story, and remember that if you actually log in with an account when you review I'll be able to respond back. For those of you who are new fans, you can also contact me on Skype at VulpusElunal. Thanks everyone, I really appreciate it. -Kiba Elunal

* * *

Ren smiled to himself as he began packing up for the day again, dawn having broken quickly. His excitement to see Syndra could barely be contained in his mind as he stuffed the many inventions she'd missed over the years into his pack, and he'd hoped she'd have as much today as she did the previous afternoon. Today he would take her through the history of videogames. He could almost picture her adorable grin as the two of them played many of the games with one another.

Humming softly to himself he stepped from his home, shutting the door behind him and ensuring it was locked tightly before proceeding down the streets and into the village. Everyone seemed so merry and chipper it was hard to believe that anything could possibly go wrong today as Ren looked up at the beautiful white puffy clouds that floated across the sky. However, he was completely unaware of the strange glances the townspeople shot at him when his back was turned, their eyes suspicious and judgmental. His day trips had not gone unnoticed by them, and they soon began to wonder just what it was he was doing up on the mountain every day.

As he passed through the gates his friends grinned at him and nudged one another. "Oi! Going to visit Syndra again?" One of them teased causing Ren to shoot him a glare.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I am. What's it to you two?" One of them looked to the other before turning back to Ren.

"Look mate…we're not saying we don't believe that your actually going to talk to some beautiful monster up on the floating island but…"

"We're saying you're out of your damned mind and we wonder if you just climb up there and start babbling to yourself." The first one smacked his friend upside the head.

"Idiot. We're trying to be supportive here, right? We can't just…hey…where'd Ren go?" The two of them looked around before seeing the shrinking figure of their friend vanishing down the path towards the mountain causing them both to look at one another and point.

"Look what you did." They both said simultaneously, before bickering amongst themselves about which one of them caused Ren to make his hasty retreat. In truth though, Ren didn't really care what those two thought about his visits with Syndra. He was on a much more important mission to show her a new side to the world then to care about two morons who didn't believe in his quest. Reaching the rope ladder he'd left he grabbed tight on to the rungs and began to climb.

* * *

I yawned sleepily as I slid out of bed in nothing but my undergarments. It'd been a long time since I slept so well and I wondered when the idiot would be coming over for a visit and what new fantastic thing he'd show me today. As I hovered down the stairs, my long white hair was frizzled from my tossing and turning in my sleep as a result of the strange dreams I'd gained from last night's movie. As the doorbell rang out into the fortress the thoughts were pushed from my head, and I flew to the door as quickly as I could, the black orbs that were ever-present trailing behind me as I tore it open revealing Ren standing on the doorstep with a shocked expression on his face.

"What is it?" I asked, puzzled by his expression but he just turned a bright red, his jaw open as he tried to speak. That was when I remembered that I was still in my unmentionables and turning a scarlet red. "Don't stare idiot, what sort of a gentleman peeps on a girl in her undergarments?!" I shouted slamming my orb against his nose again causing him to groan and as I bounced it off him a couple more times for good measure before shutting the door in his face.

Immediately with a wave of my hands my robes flowed on to my body and my hair smoothed itself out before I once more opened the door to see him sitting on the steps, holding the bridge of his nose as he continued to check to ensure it wasn't broken. "Ow…" he muttered to himself.

"Well I hope you're proud of yourself pervert." I muttered with a humph. "I'm almost tempted to not allow you to enjoy my presence today…but since you're already here, you may as well come inside."

"I'm not a pervert." He replied with a nasally wheeze. "Who answers the door for guests in their underwear anyway?" I wheeled on him ready to slam another orb into his face but he quickly held up his hand to plead me to stop. "No, no. You're right. My mistake." He muttered as I sighed softly. I knew it was my fault…but I wasn't going to just let him get away with seeing me in that state of undress. The last thing I wanted was for him to view me as improper.

"Come on." I sighed finally taking his hand and leading him to the kitchen. Sitting him on the stool I began rummaging around until I found a first aid kit and prying his hands from his face I worked to place a cold pack on his swollen nose. As he held it in place I couldn't help but notice he was still staring at me. "What? I hope you got a good mental image idiot, because I'm not going to let you see that ever again." I snapped but he just smiled softly and shook his head.

"No not that…it's just I've never seen this caring side to you. I like it." With a quick movement of my hands I launched him from the stool against the wall causing him to groan as he slammed against it. "Oww…okay sorry…I'll shut up now." Satisfied I turned to his pack which he'd placed on the table and looking at him I pointed to it.

"May I?" I asked.

"If I say 'No' will you hit me again?" He asked suspiciously.

I pondered the question for a moment. "Yes."

"Then by all means." He muttered with a dismissive wave of his hand causing me to smirk. Taking the zipper in my fingers I opened his haversack to find that inside were a bunch of strange boxes of shapes and sizes, surrounded by black rubber cords of all kinds.

"What on Runeterra is all this stuff?"

"They're games." He muttered hobbling back over to the stool.

I shook my head. "They don't look like any games I've ever seen."

"That's because they're video games."

I looked at him in shock. "Video games? Like they're made of moving pictures?" He nodded.

"Yes…well sort of. Video games come in a huge variety of types. Some of them are like interactive movies, others are just a casual way to pass the time. I figured we'd start you from the beginning and work your way up from there. Got to be careful though…they're addictive."

My eyes flared at him. "You dare bring such a substance to my home?! Do you wish to bend me to your will? Is that why you wish to drug me? Well I do not fall prey so easily."

"Whoa Syndra…" I glared at him. "Madame Syndra…" he quickly corrected, "I'm not trying to drug you, and the last thing I want is to control you. I'm just saying it's easy to get lost in the games. Sometimes they become something that takes up almost all of your time. Not that that matters for you, you've got all the time in the world." I turned a bright red in embarrassment at my misunderstanding of his meaning and sighed.

"Very well. How do we set up these 'games'?" I asked. He beamed brightly at me and taking my hand he led me back to the lounge where we'd set up the videos from yesterday. As he moved the VCR/DVD player I watched his face light up with surprise as the disk for Smoothest Criminals pop out of the tray. Looking at me quizzically I suddenly felt a pang of guilt building up in my stomach.

"I'm…I'm sorry…" I whimpered softly, "I was just curious…I didn't mean…" Blinking he calmly put a hand on my shoulder.

"Relax Syndra. It's not my business. I don't judge." He smiled softly. "I'm just glad you didn't judge me based on my tastes. I own the damned thing after all." He chuckled before placing it back in its case and tossing it into the duffel bag from yesterday.

"Yeah but…isn't it…wrong?" I asked softly causing him to look up at me in surprise.

"Wrong?" He asked curiously. I nodded. "You mean…you've never…" Suddenly an awkward silence filled the room as both of our cheeks turned a deep scarlet and for a moment he flinched as though scared I would hit him, but when he saw I would not he continued. "Syndra…I'm so sorry, I didn't even think that all alone up here no one would have given you 'the talk'." I blinked curiously.

"The talk?"

"You know…about the birds and the bees?"

"The what now?"

He sighed softly scratching the back of his head nervously. I could tell he was reluctant to part with whatever information he was willing to provide so I felt I'd give him a helpful nudge. "Oh be a man and spit it out already!" I commanded causing him to jump before nodding and speaking quickly.

"Well you see, when two people really love each other they take off their clothes and they…" His words seemed to drown out as he went on, my eyes growing wider as he continued to speak, even going so far as to pantomime certain aspects. I felt so embarrassed, for my sake and for his as he continued to prattle on more and more, going in depth into the strange mysteries of how a man and woman could pleasure one another or themselves. "So you see…" he finished. "The feelings the movie may have given you or the actions you may have done based off of them…they aren't something to be ashamed of. It's perfectly natural, though I'll confess it feels really, really awkward explaining on this."

I paused, unable to speak for the longest time before I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face with one of my shadow orbs. "How dare you speak to me in such a vulgar tongue?!" I cried out behind my blushing cheeks, though in truth I was glad he had. His words had made me feel a lot better about the previous night. As he began to get up from the floor I sighed softly. "S-sorry…I didn't mean that. I just wasn't sure how to react."

He looked at me stifling a giggle. "It's okay…I just find it odd that your immediate reaction is to hit me. But hey, if it's easier for you, let's just forget the entire conversation ever happened." I nodded in agreement as he plugged in two small joysticks into the projector and handed one to me. "Alright…let's start off simple." I looked at the small stick in my hand curiously before looking back at him.

"Simple?" I asked curiously.

"This game is called 'Ping' it's one of the first ever created." As he flipped a switch on the joysticks the screen became pitch black, save a white line that separated the screen with two zeroes at the top and two white paddles on either side. Experimenting I found the stick moved the white paddle on the left side up and down and smiling he looked at me. "Ready? The goal is to block the white 'ball' from getting past your side. When you hit it, it will bounce back. It may seem easy at first, but you're talking to a champ." He smirked causing me to blush and glare at the screen in concentration. I wouldn't lose to him, not a chance.

The game proceeded normally at first, the ball bounced back and forth normally, making tiny blips as it made contact with the paddles and walls. I had to admit I was getting bored quickly until suddenly it seemed as if I was about to score. Just before the ball passed off the screen however, Ren quickly moved his paddle, making contact with the edge of the ball and sending it careening all over the screen before bouncing past me. I looked at him shocked. "Cheater." I accused but he just grinned.

"Hardly…all it takes is a little bit of demacian on the ball."

"Demacian?" I asked confused. "What does Demacia have to do with it?"

He laughed softly. "Oh, nothing at all. It's just what it's called when you put a bit of spin on the ball by striking the side of it as I just did. You try, it takes a bit of practice, but I'm sure you'll get it." I furrowed my brow in focus as I struck the ball on side as he had, but he was too quick and deflected it back. Soon the battle raged on, the ball ricocheting all over the screen as the fight became more and more fierce until finally the ball went past his side of the screen.

"Victory!" I cried, leaping to my feet eagerly.

He beamed and applauded my abilities, and I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed that he was so eager to compliment me so. "Good game Syndra." He offered causing me to smile softly at him. "But are you ready for step 2? This is by far the simplest of games."

I grinned at him confidently and placed my hands on my hips. "I accept your challenge, I shall not falter under such simple tasks as defeating an idiot like you."

He just chuckled softly. "Oh, not all games are played between two people."

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously, unsure of what he meant. Plugging in a new console he smiled as he slipped in a cartridge causing the words "Space Hunter" to flash on the screen. "See for yourself." He offered, handing me the small rectangular control. This one, unlike the first didn't have a joystick, but a small cross, like a puppeteer's paddle, and two buttons labeled 'A' and 'B'. Taking the control in hand I began to play, quickly finding one button to cause the strange orange-armored man to jump and the other for him shoot.

"I don't understand…what is this man doing?" I asked.

"According to the game's manual, he's a bounty hunter seeking to stop a band of space pirates from destroying the world with a bio weapon known as the 'metroandroid'. Although spoiler alert, that's not a man." I looked at him in shock.

"This character is not male?" I asked confused. "It doesn't look very feminine."

"That's because she's in her powersuit. It used to be a huge secret that it was a girl, very hush-hush. But after a while it became almost common knowledge. The truth is, underneath that clunky armor she's incredibly beautiful. I tell you one thing, she can really charge my beam." He laughed before I smacked him with another orb causing him to clutch his nose in pain. "Oww…okay…sorry, was just a joke."

I just let out a 'hmmmph' as I continued to play the game, every now and then the idiot offering me some advice on a particular monster or puzzle that I became stuck on. I thought at first he would mock my inability to advance, but as it turned out he seemed to really enjoy watching me attempting to figure out the problems. Soon enough, I'd beaten the final monster, and just as he'd promised, the woman's powersuit vanished, revealing her standing there with a smile and waving friendly towards me from the screen.

"Congratulations Syndra." Ren whispered. "Even though these games are older, they're no less challenging, some even more so than the one's made today." I looked at him eyes wide in wonder.

"There's more?" He nodded.

"Oh yes, much more. They've come a long way with video games these days, some of them even use 3-D rendered graphics so that the images are more realistic looking." My eyes sparkled with awe as he offered me the bag to take a look. I was awestruck by some of the more beautiful art styles of the newer games. Just as my hands wrapped around a box my stomach let out a low grumble. I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and it was already late in the afternoon. My cheeks burned a fiery red as Ren just chuckled a little bit.

"Don't mock me…it is not my fault you distracted me with such foolish errands." I yelled, but he just smiled anyway.

"Hey don't worry about it, like I said, video games can be addicting. Why don't we take a break? I brought some food, we can go outside and have a picnic if you like." I shot him a suspicious look. "What?"

"It sounds as if you're suggesting some sort of romantic encounter…" I muttered causing him to turn a bright red.

"Wh-what? No! Of course not!" He quickly yelled causing me to frown.

"So…I am not worth attempting to romance?"

"Now you're just twisting my words! I mean, I'm not trying to…I'm…gah! You're really good at this whole manipulation thing. Look, I'm just trying to suggest we eat outside so that we can get a little bit of sunlight. It doesn't have to be a romantic thing." I smirked as he became more and more flustered, and I had to admit I reveled a bit in the control I had over the idiot. I rolled my eyes as I brushed past him, making sure to flip my hair over my shoulder at him as I did. Turning to look back at him I smiled softly.

"Very well, I suppose I'll allow you the honor of feeding me whatever sorry excuse you have for food on you. Though I hope I don't become sick from whatever peasant rubbish you've brought me." He smiled softly and followed me outside of the fortress to sit upon the precipice outside. I watched as he spread out a blanket and as I lowered myself on it he began to set up the rest.

"I hope you don't mind, I didn't exactly make anything fancy." He said, offering me a sandwich. I looked at the simple food and taking it looked out over the edge of my personal world towards the village below before taking a bite. As he began to eat his own food I couldn't help but notice that every now and then he'd steal a glance at me before turning back to look at the village. After about the fifth time I cleared my throat, alerting him that I was aware he was staring and causing him to blush. "Sorry." He apologized.

"Why is it that you stare at me anyway?" I asked. "Is there something on my face? I'm not being rude am I?" He shook his head quickly.

"No, no. You're not being rude. Not at all. I was just thinking…that's all."

I looked at him curiously. "About what?"

"About whether or not you consider me a friend." Time seemed to stop with his sentence as I began to contemplate it. A…friend? I'd never had a friend before, it never seemed necessary to have one, but even I had to admit that when the idiot was around I was generally happier. But…did that mean I was weak? That I needed him?

"Try not to think so much," I muttered, "it's hazardous to an idiot like you." I quickly stood up and floated back inside before shutting the door behind me, despite that he'd gotten up to try to chase after me inside. I could hear him knocking on the door.

"Syndra please…don't be like this. I didn't mean anything by it…honest. Please just open the door and talk to me." I said nothing just leaned against the door as I felt a warm substance running down my cheeks. Reaching up and brushing it away I looked to see my hands were wet. Tears? Why was I crying…in over ten years I'd never shed a tear, so why was I crying now?

"Go away!" I shouted back through the door. "You should have never come here! I don't need friends and I certainly don't need you!" His pounding on the door ceased as I slumped down against the door. Well, at least I'd gotten what I wanted…maybe he'd finally leave and never come back.

"What happened to you?" His voice called from the door. From the sound of it he had sat and was resting his back against it too.

"Please…just go away." I replied but I didn't hear his footsteps leaving.

"You know…I don't care if you don't see me as a friend…I see you as one."

"That's because you're an idiot."

"Maybe…but even still, I'd rather be an idiot than someone who'd give up on you so easily."

I took a deep breath. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Do you know why I came back…the first time?" He asked.

I bit my lip nervous of his answer. "Because you wanted your camera?" I asked. I heard a sound that was almost like a chuckle from the other side of the door.

"I suppose that's part of it." He admitted. "But the truth of it is, I was so incredibly curious. I had to know, why anyone would choose to live up here away from the rest of the world. When you spared me and sent me away…I could tell the stories about you weren't what they seemed."

"They're all true." I muttered.

"Oh so you often steal out into the night to kidnap children and gobble them up?" He asked playfully.

"You know what I meant." I growled. I wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Please…I promise, as your friend…I won't judge you." He replied.

His words were so sincere, but I couldn't believe them they just weren't true. He wasn't my friend, no one was. No one cared about me, and the only person who had wound up dead, by my hand no less. "Everyone judges." I said but he just remained quiet. I placed my head against the door looking up at the large stair case with a sniffle. "I killed them." I said finally.

"Who?"

"My father…both of them."

"What do you mean?"

I swallowed before speaking again. "When I was a little girl…I lived in the village where you live now. I found that I had a natural gift for magic…and because of it the entire village hated me. They'd throw rotten fruit and vegetables at me, they'd call me names, even hit me. But despite how much everyone hated me, the person I was the biggest disappointment to was my Papa. He'd often lock me in the closet…so the neighbors wouldn't hear me crying at night. He would sometimes leave me without food for days and he'd always call me things like 'monster' or 'witch'. Part of him blamed my mother…and he made sure she knew it too. By force." I could hear his shallow breathing as he pressed himself against the door.

"And so you killed him?"

"Yes…but it was an accident. I was scared…and he was coming at my mother…so I used my magic to push him away but…I pushed him too hard and he died. My mother said she'd never forgive me. Her and the village after finding out what happened tried to execute me by burning me at the stake, but the elder got me out in time. She sent me away to a magical school."

"But it didn't end there…did it?" He asked and I felt my voice choke up a bit.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said quickly and I gently heard him rap against the door.

"Syndra…I won't make you talk about it…but I do want you to open the door…at least just a crack so you can see my face when I tell you something that I think you need to hear." I paused for a moment. What sort of game was he trying to play? When I opened the door would he just try to force his way in? No, he wasn't strong enough to do that, not even close. Turning I opened the door just a little so I could see out and look into his face.

He just sat there, and in his eyes there was a certain sadness, but he seemed so…sorry. Not as though he pitied me, but that he felt my pain…something I thought no one else in the world could ever possibly understand. "Syndra," he whispered to me, his features stern and serious, "thank you so much for sharing that with me."

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked.

"Because I'm starting to get to know you…the real you…and the beautiful heart you have inside." I couldn't look him in the eye when he said that. I turned away from him but he just stayed right there.

"You're wrong. I don't have a heart."

"No. I'm not. I may be an idiot, and you're right, I've been wrong about a lot of things, but I'm not wrong about this. I've seen proof of its existence many times over the last few days. I saw the smile you had in your picture, and I can promise you the joy I saw in it isn't something that people can just fake." I frowned at him and slammed the door shut again.

"Just go away!" I screamed. "Why can't you see that I don't want you here?! Just leave me alone and don't come back!"

I heard him take a deep breath before he sighed. "Fine…I'll leave. But there's something you should know Syndra."

"What?" I asked, muffling my voice between in my hands which covered my tear streaked face.

There was a pause before he spoke once more. "I'm not giving up on you. And I'll come back every day until you're ready to let me in again." And with that I heard him stand up and his footsteps receded down the stairs leaving me alone in my silence. I told myself it was okay, that he wouldn't really be back. He just said that to make me feel better, but the truth was he didn't really care. He wanted something, everyone wanted something and that was it.

That night the halls were filled with my sobs; the sniffling and wailing of a small frightened little girl in the body of a full-grown woman. I was pathetic and weak, just like my Papa always had told me I was. The only way I could muffle my cries was through glasses of wine that I continued to conjure as I watched the films and played the games he'd left behind, again and again, wishing desperately that I'd just forget all about my entire life and that I could just go back to being alone in my castle. As I finally found myself in bed and I cried myself to sleep for the first time in a long time.

* * *

Ren sighed softly to himself as he stood to leave Syndra's doorstep, working to pack up the picnic he had packed for her. He couldn't help but feel at least a little proud of himself, despite the fact he could hear her soft cries through the door. He wasn't happy about that obviously, the last thing he had intended to do was hurt her. But if one thing today had proven, it was that he was succeeding. He was able to reach her at some level deep inside and she in turn had reached something inside of him. He'd never dedicated himself to something so much before, not to his friends, or his own life. But for some reason, dedicating himself to finding out more about hers…well there was just something satisfying about it.

Her story had made his heart melt; he couldn't imagine how much pain she must have gone through every day while living in the village. Her own mother and father turned on her, an act that was absolutely abhorrent to someone who was as attached to his family as Ren was. As he stood over the cliff for quite some time he waited for night to fall before he started to climb back down towards the city. Looking up in the window to the lounge before he left, he could see Syndra playing Ping by herself and drinking heavily.

Thus, the decision was made. Ren stole back to the city, eager to gather his things. After having packed his belongings he set out in the still dead night to return to the floating island in the sky, and he didn't care how long it would take. He would get back in there somehow, and when he did he would make sure that he didn't leave until he understood every aspect of Syndra that he could.

As the cicada's chirped in the dimly lit night, the lights from the village flooded the streets, but as he made his way to the gates, he had no idea that in the shadows the watchful eye of one of the towns people followed him to the gate and watched as the young man struck out on the long dirt road, large haversack slung over his shoulder.

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

Worlds Apart, Separate Ways Ch. 5

I woke up the next morning with a sniffle, the pillow case I'd been using stained with the tears I'd shed through the night and for a moment I'd forgotten why I had been crying in the first place until the morning's confusion faded and I was reminded of the idiot's speech. He didn't truly understand; how could he have? He didn't have any magic or an abusive family (as far as I knew) and he certainly wasn't kicked out of his village. Where did he get off pretending like he understood anything about me or my life?

Getting out of bed I wrapped a rope around myself, shivering as a cold draft blew through the fortress. One negative aspect of living so high up in the air was that often the temperature could become freezing cold overnight, and this morning was one that showed such. As I slowly floated down the stairs, I found myself smiling, if only at the thought that surely with the weather that idiot wouldn't be returning. Somewhere in my mind I was sad at the thought, but I also knew the sooner he stopped showing his face around here, the easier it would be for me. My thoughts on the subject were interrupted however the instant the scent of warm coffee seemed to waft through the grand foyer. I frowned, puzzled by the scent and heading downward I found the smell to be coming from outside.

Moving to the window, I pulled aside the curtain before quickly letting it close again in shock. That idiot! He was sitting right outside the fortress…IN A TENT! I knew he'd said he'd come back, but camping on my doorstep? I almost went out there to scold him for his foolishness, but I feared that doing so would only give him the result he aimed for. Turning my nose up, I turned from him, content to ignore him. I shuddered as another chill blew through the fortress and I frowned. He must be freezing out there. What was I saying?! Why should I care about whether or not he was cold? He did this to himself; it wasn't as if I told him to camp outside my home.

Turning away from the door, I went to conjure myself some breakfast, attempting to remain blissfully ignorant of Ren's current condition. After breakfast, I watched a movie or two, trying to get my mind off the strange man who was sitting outside of my house. Taking a moment to go to the window, I looked outside to see him still sitting there, looking back up at me as though expecting me to open the door at any moment and come outside. Turning away from him I went back to the movie, I didn't care how long he waited outside, I wasn't letting him back in.

* * *

The harsh wind roared around Ren as he clung to the ladder. Of course, it could never be simple could it? Ren groaned, using his strength to reach up and grasp the next rung of the rope ladder. "I'm such an idiot." He muttered to himself. "Of course, I'd find interest in a girl who lived in a fortress that hovers at the least two thousand feet in the air. Couldn't be a nice quiet and normal girl who lived in the village could it?" He frowned as he heard himself speak. The truth was, no it couldn't. He knew as well as anyone that people fall into each other's lives. No one meets someone else on purpose and begins to care for them. You don't choose the people you care about, and he scolded himself internally for having complained about going to see Syndra. True, she was being a bit difficult, but he had expected this, and if he said he'd wait for her to open up again, then one could be damned sure he'd wait for her to open up again.

If anything, this trial, or so he figured, was evidence that his plans had been working. Syndra had shut him out, but she only did so because she discovered he was chipping away at her shell. He smiled softly to himself, and having finally reached the top he removed his backpack and rolled on to his back with an exhausted sigh. Climbing was already difficult enough, climbing with camping gear was tougher, but even more so was climbing a rope ladder that was flailing about in a wind storm where the altitude caused a super icy chill.

As another breeze cut him to the bone, he immediately set to work. Soon the orange tent was pitched, and as the sun began to rise over the hills signaling the new day had begun, he took a deep breath and unpacked his small camping grill. He began to brew himself a cup of coffee. This was going to be a long day, he decided, and with his mug of Joe in hand he looked up to Syndra's front door before taking a sip.

He was rather surprised, when as it turns out he didn't have to wait long before a robed Syndra pulled back the curtain to look at him. She frowned and let the curtains fall back into place as he raised a hand to wave at her, but he knew she was already gone. "That's okay," he told himself, "at least she knows I'm here."

He watched as her vague outline appeared in the lounge moments later, the slight flicker of the projector letting him know that she was using the discoveries he'd shared with her as a means to try to get her mind off of his presence, which meant that at least he was getting to her. He watched for a while before he heard a voice calling out to him from the direction of the Rope Ladder. "Ha! I knew it!" Turning he saw his two friends, dressed in civilian clothing and winded from the climb. "See? What did I tell you? He's just sitting here staring at the building. Face it, Ren's gone bonkers."

Ren glared at the two of them, these were the last people he wanted here. They'd ruin everything. "What are you two idiots doing here?"

"Well," his other friend replied, "we were worried about you. I mean, for the last few days you've just been disappearing off to Gods know where and doing who knows what with 'Syndra'." He said making air quotes as though to indicate that Syndra didn't exist.

"I told you, we were watching movies two days ago, and yesterday I showed her how to play video games. Don't either of you ever listen?"

"Yes!" He shot back, "That's exactly why we're worried about you. Listen to the nonsense you're babbling and realize how little sense it makes. You're climbing to a floating island, every day, with random bits of technology, claiming to be sharing it with a woman who as far as we know has been dead for the past ten years, you can't possibly blame us for thinking you're insane." Ren shut his eyes tight and turned away from them angrily.

"Go away. If you're not going to support me, then leave."

"Of course we'll support you," the other one replied softly, "we're your friends."

"Then do me a favor. As my friend, please…go away. I'm trying to reach out to her, and as nervous as she was around me, I have a feeling she'd be even more so with the both of you present. So please, just leave. I promise, when she's opened up a bit more I'll introduce you to her."

"Alright. Fine. We're going." The second one said, gesturing for the first to follow him.

"Wait…what?! We are?" The first one asked puzzled as his friend pulled him back towards the rope ladder. "But what about the plan?! I thought…" He didn't get a chance to finish before the second one silenced him with a glare before once against gesturing for him to follow him down the ladder. Ren didn't like this, it felt like the two of them were up to something, and whatever it was, he knew it would be trouble.

As the two guardsmen landed safely on the ground after their successful descent the second turned to the first. "Listen, the plan is still in effect. But if we'd done it now, who knows what would have happened. It's hard carrying a struggling Ren as it is, even harder to do so down a rope ladder. Agreed?"

The first one kicked at the dirt with his shoe. "Yeah…I suppose. But how are we going to get him down? I mean, setting up a tent? It seems like he's about ready to move out of his house and live up there. I still feel like we let this go on for far too long. We need to bring this to the attention of the Elder. If he comes back down…well…we'll do what is necessary." The two partners nodded their heads in agreement before shaking on it and leaving to return back to the village to meet with the Elder.

* * *

The first day passed uneventfully for me. True, I'd managed to drown out at least a little of the din of my concerns about Ren, but I knew the truth about him. He was weak, just like the rest of the pathetic worms that wriggled in the village below. He'd crack, I just knew it. As I went to bed, I hazarded a glance to see him still staring up at my window, as though he hadn't even so much as budged from that same spot. I scolded myself for being so dumb. Of course he wouldn't crack after one day, I shouldn't have looked. Now I was going to have trouble sleeping.

I changed my clothes before slipping into the bed I'd claimed as my own and laying my head on the pillow I turned my head to look up at the moon with a frown. I always felt like it was staring down at me, criticizing me for my mistakes in the past. I stared right back at it for a bit before rolling over to get some rest. "Shut up." I mumbled to no one in particular. "I know I'm right about him. Just watch, he'll bail."

As my eyelids began to grow heavy, I knew it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn a voice somewhere inside of me replied, "Don't be so sure just yet." And before I could formulate a response to my contradictory thoughts, sleep had taken me.

* * *

When my eyes opened, I found myself staring at the village square, flooded with people. A thin black smoke rose from beneath me as I began to hear a crackling noise and upon looking down I saw the source of it: a fire; one that burned at the wood beneath me and licked at my feet and ankles. I opened my mouth to call out for help; with my hands bound I was unable to use my magic to free myself. My pleas were cut short however as I began to cough, choking on the bitter smell of ash and burning wood. As I looked around desperately through the smoke I saw the villagers I had known all too well staring up at me, their eyes full of hatred and anger.

As I hacked and wheezed, trying to get clean air into my lungs I began to search the crowd for just one friendly face, any one would do! I just really needed someone to help me get away or else I would die. I'd spent over a decade away from the village, but even still they hated me! Why couldn't they just forget about me and pretend I didn't exist?! Why couldn't the entire world just forget about me? As someone stepped forward, I tried to see under the large crimson hood before their voice called out from the shadows. "Syndra. You are hereby charged with the murders of your father and your teacher, as well as your wanton use of witchcraft and the dark arts that be. How do you plea?"

"Please…" I rasped, "it was an accident!"

"Then you are guilty." The voice said, adding more tender to the fire to make it rise higher up the stake I was bound to. I could feel my legs becoming burned as the flames quickly consumed them.

"Please, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Just let me go, I'll never bother you or see you again. Please, I'm really just sorry." I begged, tears running down my cheeks as the hooded figure came closer to me.

"You're right. You are sorry Syndra. You're a sorry excuse for a human being, and that's why no one will mourn your loss."

"That's not true. That idiot would." I whimpered. The hooded figure reached up, pulling back his cloak and when I saw who it was I gasped. Ren stared up at me, an evil grin on his face.

"Good bye Syndra. I hope you enjoy your trip the Nine Hells."

"Ren! No! Please, don't do this!" I cried as he began to fade back into the crowd. "REN!" I screamed to him, just before the fire engulfed my body in a bright flash of orange and yellow.

* * *

"Ren!" I gasped in shock as I sat up in bed, my heart racing from the terrible visions I'd just received. I placed a hand on my chest, my heart was racing. I couldn't believe the dream I'd had; it'd been a long time since I'd dreamt of fire like that. Pulling my legs to my chest I buried my face in my knees. I wasn't going to cry, I wasn't going to cry, I wasn't going to cry. Swallowing a breath of air I lifted my head, gently consoling myself in that it was all just a bad dream. Ren wouldn't do that too me, right? I scolded myself for thinking about him of all things. Who cared what he felt for me so long as he just left me alone like I wanted. Then I wouldn't have to worry about stupid things like being burned at the stake.

It was then that I noticed my shutters had blown open; my drapes lazily waving outside the window. Ever since I'd watched that strange movie about dreams coming true I've left my window unlocked, curious as to see if maybe the moon had someone watching over me too. This was the downside to my stupidity, unfortunately. With a sigh I sat up reaching out to close the windows. The air outside was so freezing I could feel the goosebumps running up and down my arms. Immediately, I slammed the two windows shut, it was even colder than yesterday. No way had that idiot stayed out there again. Despite my reassurance, my curiosity got the better of me. Biting my lip nervously, I peeked out the window, and there I saw him, sitting in his bright orange tent, the damned idiot he was. I could feel my eyes watering up. I couldn't let him in, I'd done that too much already and it nearly destroyed me. I could feel a different side of me shaking her head. "And what if he's trying to fix you?"

"No one can fix me…" I replied back sadly. "Everyone who tries ends up dead…whether they try to fix me by force or with care, it doesn't matter. They all die anyway." The voice didn't come again. Taking a break from the movies and games I curled up with a book by the fire trying to forget about everything. But with every harsh rattle of the windows of the lounge I cringed in reflex, my thoughts constantly reminding me of the man outside in the cold. Pangs of guilt assaulted my conscience despite that it was his stupid fault he was out there in the first place. No one was making him stay here. As I tried to narrow my thoughts solely on the book, however, I could feel my stubbornness losing to my guilt. Letting out a frustrated sigh I walked over to a closet and grabbed a blanket. When I opened the window to the lounge my eyes met his, but he didn't say a word. Why wouldn't he say anything? Anything at all would have been fine, he could have told me how much he hated me or how upset he was that I hadn't let him back in yet, but the very worst thing he could do is just sit there like he was.

The two of us just stared at one another like that, for what seemed like an hour before with a scowl I just dropped the blanket outside and slammed the windows shut again. "There, you've done your part, now you can just ignore him." I said to myself picking up the book I was reading once more and sitting down with it. A few hours later and I'd fallen asleep over the small hardback.

* * *

Ren shivered in his sleep as he wrapped his small coat closer around him, the tent providing minimal protection from the frigid bursts that had settled in the night. His eyes opening slowly he frowned shivering slightly. Day two. He knew what she wanted him to do, but the truth was he could be just as stubborn as she was. As far as he was concerned the only difference between the two of them was that she could beat the utter crap out of him with a wave of her hand. He'd let her do it too, even though it'd hurt like hell. He couldn't explain it, but Syndra meant something to him. She was his friend, and she needed him, even if she didn't want to admit it.

It wasn't long after he'd been awoken by the storm, taking his post at the tent's entrance to wait for her in anticipation. He'd wait hours if he had to. That was when he heard her voice, call out clearly into the cool air. "Ren!" Was she…calling him? He almost went to the door to knock on it, but he quickly ceased that line of thinking. He couldn't give her an excuse to let him inside without it being her choice. She had to be the one to let him in, not the other way around. He waited for her to call again, but when it didn't come he just assumed it to be his imagination. He let out a deep sigh. Figures as much, Syndra didn't seem the type to call for help, even if she needed it. Wasn't that the point of this entire test of wills in the first place?

It didn't take long for him to set to making breakfast for himself. Hot coffee seemed to be the perfect remedy for the icy wind that whipped around him shaking the thin tarp of the tent. He watched and waited patiently, and as the day moved on the wind only served to become colder. Finally as the sun began to set, the window to the lounge opened, revealing the beautiful silhouette of Syndra. He looked deep into her eyes, shivering slightly as though pleading for her to not turn away from him. As they shared a long gaze, she suddenly frowned before simply throwing out a blanket and closing the window once more.

Ren frowned, waiting for a bit before he crawled from his shelter to grab the blanket. It was warm, and he was grateful to her for considering him, but he couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. She'd just been able to stare him in the eye before turning her back on him. He knew she had a heart; all she had to do was believe it herself. Wrapping the blanket tightly around him, he waited for more to happen, but soon the sun set and the day came to an end.

* * *

The next morning I awoke from a dreamless sleep, to a soft pitter-patter on my window that had managed to fill my room with a soothing melody of nature. I smiled softly to myself. I'd always loved the sound of rain on my window, and even though most felt it to be a depressing time, I've always found it to be beautiful, as though billions of diamonds were falling from the sky to glimmer and gleam on their way down from the heavens. Opening my window I smiled as I was greeted by the icy air and slipping my hand outside I'd catch some of the cool droplets in my hand.

I pulled my hand back, almost in surprise as the cold almost instantly caused it to go numb, and I found myself pitying whatever poor animal was stuck outside on a day like this. That's when my eyes widened in shock, and the haziness of sleep cleared from my mind. "Oh no…" I whispered, rushing down the stairs as quickly as I could. Pulling open the door I saw Ren, collapsed in front of the tent, the blanket I'd thrown draped over him, despite that it was soaking wet. The tent he had slept in had been torn to shreds, the wind's fury having ripped the tarp that would have served as his protection. Quickly I held out my hand and conjured an umbrella for myself before rushing over to him. Turning him over, I saw his cheeks were bright red, and placing a hand on his forehead I was able to tell he was burning up with fever. "Gods damn it." I huffed, as I raised my hand, easily lifting the limp man with her magic. "Stupid idiot had to go and get himself sick. Can't believe the moron just sat out in the rain like an idiot." Putting him down on the floor of the lounge I'd light the fire with a flick of my wrist, working to warm him up as I quickly went to get him dry blankets.

When I returned, he still lay there on the ground, unmoving and going to his side I kneeled on my knees looking down upon him. "Don't you die on me, idiot." Noticing him shiver I placed my hand on him to find that his clothes were still drenched with the icy liquid. I swallowed nervously, knowing what I had to do, but unsure of as to how. "Syndra…you're a grown woman. You can be mature about this, just take it one step at a time." I instructed myself, before I reached out with a trembling hand to start to undo the buttons of his shirt. After the last button came undone I almost wanted to cheer. Okay, one part down. I helped slip the shirt off his shoulders before taking a deep breath, reaching slowly to his fly. Just as my hand undid it, he stirred slightly causing me to let out a surprised squeal before covering my mouth. I shook the thoughts from my head. I had to do this; he would get really sick if I didn't. I frowned and helped slip off the pants from his ankles so that he was only in his boxer-briefs.

My heart pounded fiercely in my chest as I looked at the almost completely exposed man who lay on my floor and reaching out with a shaky hand again I covered my eyes as I removed the final article of clothing. I sat there for a bit, still shaking like a leaf as I cautiously peered through my fingers. My eyes scanned his body, landing on that…that…thing between his legs. After a moment I moved my hand from my face and swallowed nervously. So that's what…that…looks like. As his chest rose and fell, I looked at him, my cheeks a bright red as I contemplated what to do next. I was so tempted to just touch it; I was curious as to how it felt. I quickly shook my head though and floated away from him. I had to get him a new dry set of clothes, but he wasn't like me, I couldn't just magically clothe him. I frowned and began searching old storage rooms for clothes that would seem to fit him.

That's when I found myself outside of my old master's bedroom. I bit my lip nervously; I hadn't entered this room in…well forever. I just didn't think it would be right after he died, but this was an emergency…I had to get clothes, and I knew my clothes wouldn't fit Ren. Placing my hand on the knob, I took a deep breath and pushed the door open, revealing a dusty old bedroom, covered with cobwebs. Raising my hand I'd sweep through the room with my shadow orbs, clearing things from my path as I made my way to the closet and went to open it.

"Syndra!" A voice snapped. "What are you doing in my room?" Wheeling about I came face to face with my old master, my heart jumping into my throat as I backed up against the closet. "You know you're not allowed in here!"

"N-no…you can't exist…you're dead…" I whispered as the scowling face came closer towards me. Sinking to the ground, I scrambled away, trying desperately to get away from the terrible ghost. "Please! Get away!" I cried out loud hurling my shadow orb at him. I watched in shock as it passed through him, causing his image to waver like a cloud of fog. An illusion! It must have been one he set up before…well before he died. "You are dead." I sighed, partially relieved. Holding up my hand the illusion would vanish as I tried to calm myself. My heart was racing still, and I was almost convinced that I would have fainted had that illusion said my name even one more time. After another minute I stood, reaching into his closet and grabbing a comfortable robe. I floated back to where Ren laid on the ground and biting my lip nervously I tried to not look at the appendage between his legs. When I found it hard to work his clothes on I frowned, and after a moment's contemplation lifted my hand, causing his body to rise from the ground.

Now suspended in the air, dressing him became much easier and after I set him down I frowned. "After what I went through to get you those clothes, you'd better wake up." I whispered to him. As I knelt there over him I frowned, and it wasn't long before I felt my eyes growing heavy. After a while I leaned forward and rested my head on his chest, and soon I fell fast asleep, listening to his soft heartbeat and a smile spreading across my lips.

* * *

When the two guards managed to get back to the town, they were winded and out of breath. But they both knew they couldn't stop yet. They had to see the Elder. She'd know what to do about Ren. As they reached the Elder's home, the one she'd lived in since people could remember, they opened the door, quickly entering it. "Elder!" The first one called as he rushed in followed by the second.

"Quiet down son…I'm old, not deaf." The Elder sighed standing up and looking to the two young men in her living room. "Now, what seems to be the trouble."

"Ren." The second one said. "He's become obsessed, and we think…we think he's sick." The Elder nodded her head, her silvery gray hair pulled back behind her in a bun.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, curiously.

The first one spoke up again. "Every day he's been sneaking out of the village."

She frowned. "Oh?"

He nodded. "Yeah, he's been going up to that creepy Floating Fortress. He says he's met Syndra, and he's become obsessed with her. When we followed him, we found him sitting in front of a tent, just staring at the fortress. Not only that he was talking to himself! When we tried to get him to leave, he said he couldn't. That Syndra needed him for something…what do we do Elder?"

The Elder became pale as she looked at the two. "It would seem that Syndra is up to her old tricks again. She's managed to enchant that young lad to do her dirty work. But we won't let her, isn't that right boys?" She asked causing the two guards to nod.

"Yes ma'am!" They both said simultaneously, saluting her respectfully. She nodded to them both.

"Good. Now we're going to need a few things. The most important thing we'll need however, is a pair of manacles made of cold iron. Cold iron nullifies her magic, so with it we'll be able to drag her from her fortress easily. Once we kill her, your friend should come back to his senses." The two guards looked at one another.

"But…how are we going to kill her? The stories say she can't be burned." The Elder shook he heard at the two.

"Oh believe me, she can be burned just like any other human can…but I've got something special planned for her. She's going to face punishment for her crimes, every murder, every crying child, and every broken family. She'll get hers, I assure you." Turning away from the two men she looked at them curiously. "You know…I don't think I ever got your names. What are they?"

Just as they opened their mouth to speak she shook her hand turning away from them. "Nevermind, doesn't matter. Just know that the city is counting on you. Go, both of you. Bring back Syndra and if Ren tries to stop you, restrain him and bring him back too. You have my full blessing to do whatever you feel is necessary, understand?"

"Yes ma'am." They both said again.

"Good." She turned to look out her window, her eyes focusing on the silhouette of the floating fortress that rose high above the village, bathed in the moon's light. Seeing the firelight flickering from one of the windows she frowned. After the guards had left she sighed to herself. "The time has come Syndra…I wish I could say that I'm sorry it's come to this." And with that the old woman reached up and pulled her drapes shut, concealing her view of the fortress.

* * *

To be continued…


End file.
